Son of Neptune
by crazy reader2196
Summary: From one PJ fan to another this story takes Percy's end of Hera's scheme and has a quest. In the end I'm planning Percabeth but lots of confusion in the middle cause that's what every story needs . There is a real new chapter. Lots more planned. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

Hey Rick Riordan fans! If you've read Lost Hero you probably can't wait for the next one, Son of neptune. Though I do not own the characters or the series, I decided to right my own version. Enjoy!

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Chapter One

Percy

Percy woke up by himself in the middle of ruins. They had obviously once been part of a great house, but it wasn't now. He couldn't see much otherwise, the night was moonless. Where was he? Better question, Who was he? All he could remember was his first name, Percy. The rest was like reaching into deep abyss. It was there, but under a whole lot of water. He scrunched his face trying to remember, but nothing. What had happened to him?

A noise like leaves crunching. Percy jumped to his feet. In front of him, two yellow eyes observed him cautiously. _Why have you bought him here?_ A stern female voice asked. Percy thought it was from the eyes but wasn't sure.

Nearby another female responded _It is the only way._ Something like a growl emerged from the eyes, then it stepped from the shadows.

It was as if with the wolfs appearance, the lights had turned on. He could see it clearly now along with the orange T-shirt, blue jeans, and five-beaded necklace he had on. Instinctively,he reached into his pocket and pulled out a pen. Uncapping it, a sword grew in his hand. The wolf hissed. Percy looked up to find himself surrounded by the strong, gray creatures. "Who are you?" he asked, his voice more confident than he felt.

"I am Lupa," said the wolf who's eyes had watched him. "I train young Roman demigods." Demigods, the word stirred something in Percy, but like a fish, it flitted away. "But all of _my _ demigods must first pass 3 tests. Ones you must pass as well. Come with me."

Percy looked around, he was surrounded by thirty odd wolves, all as big or bigger than him with fur colors ranging from gray to a blueish color. He could kill some, but for some reason he knew that he couldn't take them all. Not without clever backup. _Backup with knives_ something in him said, but before he could trace the thought to the memory it came from it went away.

_It is necessary Percy,_ said that other voice again. _Necessary for all of our survivals._The voice was familiar.

"Hera?" Percy guessed out loud.

"Yes," the wolf, Lupa responded coolly. "Hera is the one who bought you here. We call her Juno." The wolf was silent and Percy knew that was all the information he would get from her. They stopped. The forest they had run through had become rocky and Percy saw why. Before them was a chasm which boiling lava flowed through melting the rock constantly.

Lupa jumped across, the other wolves followed. The she-wolf turned, "No cub of mine will hesitate, jump or we'll eat you." With a shrug, Percy jumped. He had a feeling it wasn't the dumbest thing he'd ever done. He was falling toward the lava. Without thinking he stuck out his hands, his gut was pulled, and . . . BOOM! Boy and wolves were blown far to the other side of the chasm. Percy blanked for a few moments.

When he came to he shook the daze from his head. His eyes focused on Lupa. She nodded, "Not bad, not bad at all. Come with me you have two more tasks." Once again, Percy had no choice but to follow the pack of wolves through the woods.

As they ran down the path, Percy realized he had dropped his sword. Once again, he reached into the pocket on the side of his jeans. There was that pen, a single weight in his pocket. He decided to keep it. He didn't know how long it took for the pen/sword to reappear and he might need it. They stopped in front of a river or at least Percy thought it was a river. All he knew was it wasn't made of water. The wolves crossed and turned back to face him.

Lupa chanted, "No pup of mine will bow to pain, hesitate and you will be our meal." Percy carefully submerged himself in the river. He found that it was not water, but acid. It burned him and his clothes. He was on fire. A sense of Deja vu came over him as he felt himself burning to ash. _Hold onto something_ he recalled from, from somewhere. _Hold onto something, anything._ He had nothing to hold onto. He bit his lip hoping that would be enough. Taking slow, deliberate steps he crossed.

When he reached the other side, The wolves nodded at him in what he thought was an approving manor. Once more they ran away forcing him to follow. This time when they stopped, it was at a rock. The rock was surrounded in a grove surrounded by a thick grouping of trees. The only opening was the one they had come from. Lupa indicated that he sit on the rock. Percy sat carefully, eyes never leaving Lupa.

"No pup of mine," Lupa began. This time the rest of the wolves joined in as she chanted, "shall leave what's important for his weakness. Sit there until the true enemy comes." Percy reached into his pocket. He had a bad feeling about this. Then the voices came. At first they were soft and pleading gradually growing into shouts for help.

"Help me Percy. I'm making a giant a bridal gown."

"Brother, help me."

"Sweetheart I need you."

"Percy, the Hunters need you."

"HEY! SEAWEED BRAIN! HELP ME! PLEASE! BY ALL THE GODS HELP ME !"

That last voice sounded so familiar. That girl needed him so much and her voice did funny things with his heart, but Percy sat there waiting for his true enemy. Out of the woods walked a boy in his late teens early twenties with a scar down his left cheekbone. Somehow Percy knew that this boy was a son of Hermes. The boys eyes were gold. He pulled out a double bladed sword that struck a chord that Percy couldn't recall. All he did was what he could. Percy pulled out the pen and opened it.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Percy

"So we meet again young hero," the boy said in a wicked voice that sounded like knives on a chalkboard.

"Um sure," Percy said wondering if he _had _met this guy before. "Who are you exactly?"

"You know who I am Perseus, you've just forgotten," he said swinging his double bladed sword back and forth, back forth. Suddenly, he bought the blade up and cut it to the side. As he did so the boy changed. Suddenly he was a woman who seemed to be made of dirt. Her eyes were closed and she moved as if in a trance. Yet even in that trance-like state she moved quickly. Percy moved to block the blow. The double edged sword had become some sort of multicolored rock that was constantly moving. Some places were a hot red glow while others were pink and purple and others th dull gray of plain stone.

"Ahhhhhh, you like my blade I see," the dirt lady said, moving into another attack. "It is connected to the Earth just like me." She continued to attack, Percy waiting for an opening to return the favor. In the meantime, he started sensing for water. He didn't know that he was, but in the back of his mind he searched for the one thing that would give him power.

He found it, a stream just a few yards from the clearing. Slowly he pulled it toward him, weaving the water through the tightly packed trees, his stomach sinking as he did so. He held his concentration while trying to talk to this woman, distract her. "So who are you now?"

"I?" she said voice calm fighting onward still. "I am the first mother, the mother from which you all came came. Yes, even of you, you puny son of Neptune. From me you came and," she paused in both speech and movement. Percy couldn't move to take the opening, her holding him in place by some magic. She grinned evilly at him and, still sleeping, finished, "to me you shall return." Once again she bought up her blade. Percy couldn't move, so he did the one thing he knew he could, called the water he had been drawing to him. It rose up in a giant wave and washed on top of the dirt woman. She became a soaking pile of mud.

With a roar of fury came from the mass that was dirt lady. A tree branch came from the side of her grasping a struggling blond haired girl. She looked at Percy with pleading gray eyes, her tan skin covered with patches of dirt. The mud blob spoke, "Without her you won't survive. And if you don't survive, the quest won't either. For a quest can't succeed without a sword arm or," she paused, letting the tension build, "a heart." The dirt lady dissolved into the ground, the girl sinking in with her. Percy stood there gasping for breath. By Poseidon, what had _that_ been about. Who was that pretty blonde girl? Why did he feel so strong a connection to her? Why couldn't he remember?

Lupa came up beside him. "Come, son of Neptune, we must see from where it is Juno sent you." She yelped at some wolves. They came back with a black Pegasi that Percy remembered was named Blackjack. Why could he remember that and nothing else?

_ Hey boss_ he greeted. _Where are these guys taking us? Does it have donuts?_

"I don't know," Percy replied. "It doesn't seem likely they have donuts though." Percy mounted the Pegasi and took off. The wolves started to run off and they followed.


	3. Chapter 3

I need to clear things up with people. Everyone who thinks Luke is alive, he's not. The grove has stuff to do with destiny and crud like that. I'll explain it in later chapters. Blackjack's there because Hera thinks Percy needs him(again later chapters) sort of like Jason remembering Thalia. Lupa knows somethings weird with Percy but isn't going to ask while testing him. She doesn't know what exactly but, something's always wrong when Hera drops in(once again explained in later chapters).

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Chapter 3

Annabeth

Annabeth entered the Athena Cabin and yawned. It had been a long day of strategizing how to find Jason's camp, Half Blood Legion Training Academy, as well as helping Leo with the plans of his flying boat. Piper was a really big help. _How could someone as smart as Piper be a daughter of Aphrodite?_ Annabeth pondered as she climbed into her bunk. Her clothes were still on, but what was the point? Percy wasn't there, who did she have to look presentable for? _The other demigods_ whispered that all too logical voice in the back of her mind. She ignored it, the world was sinking into chaos anyway, why did she need logic?

There it was, what Hera had done to her. No amount of cow poop could do what her boyfriend's absence could to her confidence and character. Annabeth closed her eyes begging sleep to come and take away the pain. Mercifully, it did.

It was the first day of winter break. Annabeth was leaning on what had once been Thalia's Tree, rubbing together her mittened hands. She hadn't seen Percy since August. Sure they had IMed each other every chance they got, but it was hard to find accessible rainbows and the time zones really screwed with things. This would be the first time she'd see him in 3 months, 23 days, and 46 minutes. Then three weeks of bliss, or as blissful as things could get at Camp Half-Blood, with Percy, her Seaweed Brain, by her side. A sleek, blue car rolled up the drive, Annabeth immediately straightened.

It was Percy. What if he had found someone else? What if he saw her and realized he didn't return her feelings anymore? Or worse, what if she saw him and realized she didn't love him anymore? Sure they 'saw' each other when they Iris Messaged, but what if somehow . . .

"Hello Annabeth," Percy's mother, Sally Jackson called out. She was relaxed in jeans and a t-shirt, yet observing everything around her. "How are you?"

"Good, Sally," Annabeth replied as a car door opened and closed. She and Mrs. Jackson had become quite acquainted two years ago when she, Percy, and Thalia Grace went to help Grover retrieve two powerful demigods. "How's the book coming along?" Percy had mentioned his mother had written a novel and was sending it to publishers everywhere.

"Not sure," Sally answered in a tired voice. "No replies yet."

"Oh, Mom don't be like that," Percy consoled closing the trunk door. "Its like Blowfish said, publishers get a lot of manuscripts. They probably haven't read it yet. That and some of those publishers are in Timbuktu or something like that. They haven't even seen your stuff yet. When they do they'll love it and you'll have a million different deals to choose from." He looked at me. I got the message.

Moving ever so subtly closer to Percy Annabeth added, "Yeah Sally, there's a lack of books that incorporate growing up on a farm with Greek monsters, they'll love both your writing and your originality."

Sally visibly brightened, "You think so?"

"Absolutely."

Sally looked from Annabeth to Percy and back. She shook her head. "You two no me too well. I'll leave you guys to camp. See you after winter break." She then proceeded to lean out the window, give Percy a good-bye kiss, roll up her window, and drive away.

"Finally," Percy said with a sigh of relief.

"Since when are you happy that your mothers gone?" Annabeth inquired. "She wasn't telling any embarrassing stories or anything . . ." Her speech was stopped short as Percy pulled her over to him and kissed her softly on the lips. She returned it, all thoughts focused on his lips. He let her go.

"That is why I was happy for my mother to leave," Percy responded to a question Annabeth had forgotten she asked. They were about to turn and walk into Camp when the dream changed.

She was in a tree. One of those tall trees that has a lot of branches. An oak like many of the naiads in camp were. Down below her was Percy. She called out, but it seemed he couldn't hear her. Annabeth checked her head, not that her Yankee cap would change Percy's ability to hear her. Nothing was on her head. She called out again, he ran away. _Okay_ she thought _what is he doing?_ Forgetting she was sleeping, forgetting Percy had been missing for two weeks, and throwing caution to the wind, Annabeth chased after her boyfriend.

He ran through the woulds in a way Percy never actually could. Annabeth always beat him in footraces. Also, he never turned back to see if anyone was following and didn't bring out Riptide, his sword, in case any monsters came at him. Soon she tired, her limbs growing heavier with every step. Seemingly Percy did to, until she was close enough to touch him. She reached for his shoulder and grabbed it. He turned and it wasn't Percy at all . . .


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The woman was exactly as Leo had described her, sleeping, black hair, made of dirt. Annabeth gasped and tried to run. _This is a dream_ she remembered. _Wake up, you idiot, wake up!_ She pinched her self but she wouldn't wake up. Finally she looked at the woman's closed eyes.

"Gaea," she addressed the woman with malice. "What precisely do you want from me?"

"Don't give me that," the Earth woman retorted her grip tightening. "Since I failed to break lovely Leo, I'm going to give your dashing Prince Charming a try. Even with his memory erased your voice affected him during his test."

"Test?"

"Nothing you need to mind," Gaea replied.

"You don't actually have me. I'm sleeping in Camp Half-Blood." Annabeth stated confidently.

"Yes, well, not any more." Annabeth just gave Mother Earth a look. "You slept walked. Ran through that puny camp of yours yelling 'Percy! Percy!' in your sleep" her imitation of Annabeth's voice was realistic instead of mocking. Annabeth found it slightly unnerving the sleeping woman was so aware. "And they're looking for you now. Speaking of which," Gaea snapped her fingers. Annabeth awoke, still in the woman's grasp, in the middle of a road that was about three miles from Camp Half-Blood. She struggled, screaming in her captors arms. Gaea sighed, "I hate it when my children are beaten. I'll go to any lengths to protect them and according to my prophet . . ."

"What did Medea say this time?" Annabeth demanded with sarcasm, tears, held back for weeks, actually starting to leak from her eyes and leaving wet trails down her face. "That the quest would fail without Percy? That I would break him? With his memory erased? Yeah right. He's probably fallen in love with some other girl at his new camp." Her voice cracked on the last sentence and from grew a sob.

"Oh my dear," Gaea said pulling Annabeth closer. "My dear, he hasn't even gotten there to fall in love with anyone. Hera really didn't want his fatal flaw to get the better of him."

"Well didn't he have others with him like Jason?"

"No, only his pegasus. Again, she didn't want his fatal flaw to interfere with her plan."

"She didn't want Percy to have friends?"

" Exactly. Now, enough chit chat," she said in her sleeping state. "We'll wait for your boyfriend in a place that is filled with," she paused, choosing her words carefully. "Filled with _memories _to trigger something in your boyfriend's head. Something like feelings for you." The world around them spun. Annabeth couldn't remember reading about Gaea having an ability to travel like this, but she wasn't mentioned much in _any_ mythology after the whole having her kid kill her husband story. Gods knew what powers she was hiding, but being Earth it made sense that she would be able to travel across herself. All Annabeth knew was that what ever Gaea was planning it couldn't be good.

The spinning stopped. Annabeth was gasping for air while tentacles of mud reached up her legs and hardened. She reached for her knife. It wasn't there.

Gaea had let her go and was walking around. They were on a mountain top the San Franciscan Bridge in view. The ruin of a palace lay around them and in the distance a man was holding up something large in heavy. The man wasn't a man though, he was a Titan and what he was holding up Annabeth once held up. The sky.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello again. I did a lot of research for this chapter(I needed to figure out what the ranks were in Roman Legions), but google can be incorrect so if you have information that differs please post a note:Reyna is a slightly less violent daughter of Mars, a tad more strategic than the war god's Greek children, and has more power than the Ares Cabin kids at Camp Half Blood because of how warlike the Romans were/are. Please comment so I can make the story better! Thanks and enjoy!

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Chapter 5

Reyna

Reyna knew something was wrong when the black haired, green eyed boy entered the camp.

Unlike the rest of the demigods, he came on a Pegasus, _not_ on Lupa's back. Another thing was that he actually _knew_ how to fly it. No newcomers ever knew how to ride a Pegasus. This boy, whoever he was, had something to do with Jason's disappearance. At least that's what Reyna's gut told her.

It was hard being the Praefectus Castrorum, or camp Prefect, for the Mars Cohort in the Half-Blood Legion as well as the Tribnus Laticlavius, or second in command. Everyone was always looking to Reyna to fight the most, hardest, and best of everyone in the Training Academy because she was good enough to lead her siblings, the children of the war god Mars, into battle. She knew that she didn't have as much pressure as Jason had, being the Legatus Legionis(commander in chief), but with no sign of him for two weeks and no one allowed to look for him under pain of death everyone was looking to Reyna to take charge.

The Training Academy only got that name so that the demigods parents wouldn't be suspicious and wonder about the new school their children had found. Otherwise, it was a glorified military camp, tents pitched in organized groups. The farther in you got, the bigger the tents were. In the middle of it all was the only true building in the entire camp, the castra or fort. Campers were organized as Roman Legions had been when they were in power. Only difference lay in numbers of soldiers per group since the Academy was far from 6,000 fighters large, though since the Titan War that summer the population had increased to 500 fighters large. A contubernium was nonexistent, centuria from 6 to 8 people instead of eighty, cohorts 30 to 40 people, and 400 in the entire Legion.

The new boy had obviously never been introduced to that kind of organization or discipline. He slumped onto his Pegasus, plainly exhausted, and it looked as though he whispered to the animal. _He's soft_ Reyna thought watching him land and climb off his animal with considering eye. _Almost like_ . . . Lupa came loping up to Reyna startling her out of her thoughts. She straightened and saluted Lupa as she had been trained. Lupa and the thirty wolves behind her nodded in return to the greeting. Then they relaxed. Though they were disciplined, the fighters and leaders at camp weren't strict outside of training exercises. Some wolves lay down while the younger ones chased their tails. It was rumored those wolves were demigods that had been favored by Lupa and were offered to be with her for eternity. Ulike her followers, Lupa never relaxed, She stood at attention in front of Reyna.

"Any sign of Jason?" Reyna asked. Lupa shook her head. She had expected no other answer, but needed to ask. Her eyes floated to the boy that was now walking toward them. He was leading his Pegasus and she was now sure the boy was talking to his Pegasus. That was strange, even to Reyna, who had been in this world of myth and legend for seven years. He looked to be about 16 or 17, well muscled but those muscles were soft unlike most of the Legion's soldiers. His hair was black except for one gray streak and eyes piercing green eyes that reminded Reyna of the sea. The clothes on him were worn and dirty, of course they were after the test (Reyna suppressed a shudder at the thought of it), but the jeans and orange t-shirt had held up well. She turned back to the wolf. "Who's the newbie?"

"All I know is that Hera sent him and his parentage," Lupa informed her. Of course, that's all Lupa ever knew. She saved questions until after the test.

"Well who's his . . ." the boy reached them and Reyna stopped short. She wanted answers. They would probably come better from the boy himself. If he didn't answer, she would take him to the training yards and fight him with live weapons. She wouldn't kill him, just get some answers from him in the way she knew best.

"Hi," the boy greeted with a lazy wave. Leaning on the Pegasus as if for support, he continued unsure of himself, "Nice place you got here. What's it for exactly?"

Lupa answered before I could, "It is a Training Camp for young demigods."

Once again, someone beat her to explaining things. Only this time it was the boy, not Lupa, who knew the answer, "The kids of the gods?" The boy had his face scrunched as if trying to remember something, only to have forgotten it. Her and Lupa exchanged a look, Lupa's obviously telling Reyna to hold her tongue. As usual, this was the one order Reyna couldn't obey. She tried, she honestly tried, but failed as miserably as ever.

"Okay then Mr. Know-it-all," Reyna demanded, "what's your name? Where did you come from? How did you know what a demigod was? What else do you know? If you don't give me a straight answer I swear by all the gods that I'll . . ."

"Reyna, _enough_," Lupa ordered. "I understand your upset, anyone would, but that does not give you the right to go threatening strangers. In the old days you know what I would do to you for speaking out of turn, but I'll show you mercy in these modern times. " Reyna looked down, properly scolded. She'd heard the speech often in her years in training, but could never learn her lesson. Lupa turned to the new boy. "Now, let's start with your name and age, son of Neptune, and then we shall elaborate more."

Reyna's eyes widened in shock. A son of Neptune wasn't allowed, not after World War II. So now, not only had Jupiter broken the vow, but _Neptune_. This was no coincidence coming so soon after Jason's disappearance. When Lupa was done, Reyna was going to take this newcomer to the training grounds and give him an interrogation of her own.

Once again the boy's face scrunched up in an effort to remember. Finally he gave up and responded to Lupa's request, "My first name is Percy. I don't know my last name or my age. I don't remember."


	6. Chapter 6

This chapter mentions a few roman god names just to clear a few up that aren't directly mentioned:

venus=aphrodite

mercury=hermes

apollo=apollo(thank you mr. c the student w.h. teacher! luv u!)

again comment if you have any information that differs please and critical comment are always welcome!

thanks for reading! enjoy!

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Chapter Six

Reyna

Reyna just blinked at this kid. He couldn't remember anything, _anything_ at all about his live before coming here. In her peripheral vision, she saw that Lupa seemed to be considering something. Anger settled over Reyna like a blanket. It was times like these that friends of Reyna said she was most like her father, Mars. Her eyes filled with a lust for blood. All of her muscles tightened, showing her bulk. Her lips tightened into a thin line as if holding back a scream. Some would swear that they could see fire burning around her.

Not caring what Lupa's orders were, Reyna reached out and grabbed the boy tightly by the arm and started dragging him down a dirt path, his heels leaving a long trail of dust behind them. She was going to get some answers and she would get them then and there. Lupa called something after her, but she disregarded it. People got out of Reyna's way as she stormed through the camp, heading toward the training yards.

"Where are you taking me?"the boy named Percy asked. "I won't make a good sacrifice or anythig and I'm not very good to eat." Reyna wasn't sure if he was joking. He tried to get a better look at her, but she kept him directly behind her. They were almost there when Reyna sensed Percy reaching for his pocket. She yanked him so his han jerked away, not trusting anything from _his_ pockets. It was then she started questioning him, sure that the growing fear that must be there would soon boil over.

"What's your Pegasus's name?" It was always best to start with one he obviously knew. Soon, she'd beat him enough that he'd answer any of her question.

"Blackjack, I think," Percy replied distracted. "He doesn't know where we came from either, all he can think about is donuts. Other than that, I really have nothing but the pen in pocket. They had finally reached the training yards. Reyna dropped him on his bottom and walked around so she could face him. She started to bring up a hand. Percy's limbs tensed as if in anticipation of a blow to block. His reflexes were probably good, but they would find out soon enough. Instead her hand came down right in front of his nose.

"Give it to me," she demanded.

"What?"

"Give me the pen," Reyna emphasized each word with care, making malice leak more and more into each word. Unlike most new kids though, he stood his ground.

"No." The word came out firm, not a single drop of fear. Percy then proceeded to reach in his pocket and pull out a pen. When he uncapped it a large bronze blade grew where the point should've been. That was the last straw. Reyna pulled her gladius, a short curved blade, from her sheath.

"Fine then," she said in a wicked voice that reminded even her of the scary voices in the horror movies she'd seen before coming to the Academy. "You'll learn to respect me the hard way." Reyna swung her blade menacingly. The boy Percy stood his ground, not even flinching as the sharp blade came closer. When she judged the time was right, Reyna came in with a sharp upper cut.

Percy blocked it with ease. He seemed to sense her moves before she made them. His speed was more incredible than even Jason's had been. The biggest shock came when her blade actually hit Percy's arm.

The blade bounced off, not even a small mark left on it.

Reyna was so surprised she let down her guard. This new demigod was quick to disarm her and push her to the ground, the tip of his sword at her neck. Soon she could feel a trickle of blood flowing toward her purple t-shirt.

Percy wasn't even breathing hard.

She stared at him in shock. This was _not _how the interrogation was supposed to go. This was never how it went. She always gave her victims a few scars, disarmed them, and put her sword in the exact spot Percy had his at that moment. _No one_ ever beat her but Jason and a few of the immortals she had decided to take on during her quests.

Only now did Reyna look around. All the groups from the surrounding yards had come to watch, as well as Lupa and her pack. Reyna glared at all of them save Lupa. The old wolf had always said someone someday would beat her, but Reyna had never thought the day would come so soon.

Percy, fresh arrived at the Academy, then demanded some answers of his own.

"What's your name?"

"Reyna."

"Who's your godly parent?"

"Mars"

The name bought a look at confusion to his face. It came so naturally the Reyna had to think he used it often. _Okay_ she thought, _Not the brightest but good in a fight._ "Who?" he finally asked.

Reyna rolled her eyes. "The Roman god of war. Father of Romulus and Remus, founders of Rome."

"Ares?" the kid said the name as a question. Reyna had heard it somewhere before. Then it hit her. They had read about the Greek gods one day in ancient history. Reyna hadn't been paying attention, but instead planning a night time inspection of the Venus camp. The kids of the beauty goddess were always slacking on their weapons cleaning. But the name had still lodged itself in her head. She got it after some struggling. Why wasn't Lupa helping her with these answers?

"Yes, my father is also known as Ares," she said. Recalling a phrase Lupa said, _I but only teach you. The rest is up to you. _Reyna realized her trainer considered this yet another test for her. With that she made a move to grab the boys sword arm. Soon she found him sitting on top of her with no clue how she'd gotten there. It was then one from the crowd stepped forward.

The girl who emerged from the group was pale with sharp features that defined her face, but not so much that she could be mistaken for a daughter of Mercury. Her thick black hair was held back by a leather tie, with some strands hanging loose. Her eyes, dark brown in color, were surrounded by dark, thick lashes that gave on the impression that the girl was in a daze. Often enough those eyes were Reyna knew. However, now was one of those times. She stormed up to Reyna and Percy hands on her hips like she was angry, but eyes filled with fear.

Hazel, daughter of Apollo, stood over the two fighters and scolded, "Reyna why must you fight everyone as soon as they set foot in camp? I realize your upset Jason's missing, but that gives you no right to beat upon him." Reyna looked at the ground and found that her nose almost touched it. She listened as Hazel turned to Percy, "Now I don't know who you are, but this is Reyna, our Tribnus Laticlavius, or second in command. You don't disobey her. If you want an explanation on how things are done here go see Lupa." Reyna could imagine Hazel pointing to the she-wolf as the newbie hesitated just enough so that Apollo's daughter added, "Go on move." Finally the boy got up and left. Reyna got to her knees slowly, feeling stiff from having held the boy's weight up on her back. Hazel leaned down as if to help her. The girl whispered fearfully in Reyna's ear, "I wrote another song." Reyna now returned the fearful look. What had hazel predicted now?


	7. Chapter 7

Hi! I was wondering any monsters that weren't already mentioned in previous books you want in here? or infamous dead guys? gods? I have my ideas, but I was wondering what other PJO fans wanted. Comment if you have ideas! Thanks

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Chapter 7

Hazel

Just a few minutes before, Hazel had been in her tent considering the meaning of what she had just written in her TAB* workbook. Then she'd heard commotion outside. She'd sighed, knowing that a new kid had arrived. Not wanting the kid to be beaten up too badly, Hazel ran out to show Reyna then Lupa her new prediction.

Now, Hazel understood that it was necessary for the brutality of beating all newcomers so they'd respect the higher officers, but it made something in her stomach twist to think of fighting ever since that past summer. Nowadays she avoided fights, often skipping training even though she was in charge of her camp! People would always look away and mutter things about Katie, who, even from the grave, seemed to be haunting Hazel's every step. So of course she wanted to stop Reyna from bullying the new kid, whoever they were, when she walked out of her tent.

However, when Hazel came to Reyna's training ground, she immediately saw something was different about this fight. Usually people ignored Reyna's interrogations, since they were considered part of camp life. This time though, a crowd had gathered around it and were shouting and cheering. Hazel had pushed her way through the crowd only to find in the center a black haired, green eyed boy sitting on top of their best fighter. Hazel ordered the strange boy away, feigning anger. Then, while pretending to care for Reyna, Hazel had told her about the new song. Keeping on the pretense that Reyna had been injured, Hazel took her toward the healing tent. Since Hazel's tent was right next to it, it was easy for them to slip in unnoticed.

Once inside the hot, stuffy tent, both Reyna and Hazel stood upright. The tent was plain. It had just enough space for a bed, table, two chairs, and a chest. Also in one corner was an acoustic guitar.

"Where is it?" Reyna demanded, tucking a strand of brown hair that had fallen from its tidy bun behind her ear. Trying to look nonchalant, muscles flexing as she did so, Reyna bent over to brush dirt off her practical work pants, but Hazel wasn't fooled. Reyna was scared out of her wits. All of her tan, calloused 5 feet 9 inches quivered like a leave in autumn. A leave in autumn . . . Quivers on the breeze . . . But when the last one falls . . .

Quickly Hazel grabbed the paper she had written her latest prophetic song on and handed it to her friend. Hazel had to keep herself from coming up with things like that. She needed to stop having premonitions, but dared not tell her father to stop sending them. He was angry enough with her. Or at least he had been the last time she saw him. Hazel wasn't sure since last month the gods had stopped communicating with the outside world. It was rumored Jupiter had closed the doors to Mount Olympus. Hazel picked up her guitar, loving the feeling of the strings against her calloused fingers.

"You'll understand it better if I sing it," she informed Reyna, pulling her gold guitar strap over her head. Her father had given this special strap to Hazel as a gift for her birthday. Gently she sat on the one bench in her tent, balacing her beloved instrument on her knee.

Traditionally predictions were given as poems, but since that summer Hazel had been making them in song. Everyone knew why. It made her a freak, a demigod possessed by the Oracle's spirit until they could find another one. That had been her father's punishment that past summer. Hazel looked down recollecting what that punishment was for.

"Okay then, sing it," Reyna said leaning against the pole that was the tents main support. The warrior was crumpling Hazel's precious TAB paper in her hand. _Great _Hazel thought, _I get to write out another one later._ With a sigh Hazel started to play.

She strummed a simple intro on the guitar that whispered of danger and darkness. Smoke, gray instead of the green that normally appeared when an Oracle made a prophecy, flowed into the tent from a place unknown. It swirled around going no higher than the girl's ankles except in one place. In the center of the tent, a cloud rose and formed an image. It was an image of a girl. She had blond hair, gray eyes, and was covered in mud. That mud held her in place more firmly than chains ever could. The girl opened her mouth as Hazel started to sing in her sweet melodic voice:

_Earth took me_

_Mud bound me_

_A Titan's screams surround me_

_Mother wants to nurture son_

_But he keeps father from _

_Embracing the mother_

_For if they do the world comes undone_

_Get the prophet, the warrior, and my love, _

_Who at the moment is lost_

_And you shall find:  
An entrance_

_A traitor_

_A clear sighted one_

_to take the burden away_

_Water free me_

_Warrior fight she who took me_

_And song unite us all_

_And song unite us all_

As Hazel played the last chords, the smoke vanished. Another thing that had changed when Hazel became Oracle were that the predictions had gotten longer and more confusing than they had once been. This prediction was by far the longest.

An awkward silence filled the tent, making the air seem heavy. Hazel wanted to speak, but her training dictated that she wait for Reyna to do so.

Finally, the commander broke the silence to ask, "What do you think it means?"

"I only understand two things," Hazel said. "One we need to find this girl and two we have a quest with her date." That was a partial lie. Hazel understood more than that, but didn't want to say it out loud. She didn't want to say that she soon wouldn't be Oracle anymore, because that might jinx it. It would be too good to be true! It brought a warmth to her heart that had been cold so long.

Then Reyna had to ruin it by starting to say something. "Maybe if Katie were here," but the girl stopped when she saw Hazel looked away, eyes filled with tears. Those tears were half out of saddness and half out of self-pity. Would Katie always overshadow her? Maybe a quest was a good thing.

Katie had been Hazel's half-sister and the Oracle. Hazel was supposed to protect Katie that past summer, but Hazel had failed.

As punishment she was the new Oracle of Delphi.

*TAB- a simplified form of writing guitar music


	8. Chapter 8

Hello again! Thank you all for commenting on my story! I've been writing it while writing/editing my english essay on euthanasia/Of Mice and Men(its actually a very interesting paper). I take this as a break from that(my teacher forbids us from using the word and, so I 'and' myself out here)Someone please tell me if anythings wrong with this. I read it over twice, but am still not sure. Also, I am christian, but I mention Hanukah in here, someone please tell me if I got something wrong there( I just wanted diverse characters). Also this is mostly a flashback. Thanks! Enjoy!

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Chapter 8

Hazel

When Hazel was younger and still living in the modern world, she lived with her mother and sister. Both were normal people, or at least had been born into normal families. Her mother, Kristina Turner, was a musician who was good enough to have made it big time, but had never wanted to. Katie had been two years older than Hazel, smart and charming, with full blond hair, wide pink lips, and big bright blue eyes. She _always_ got the attention, even from Hazel's father . . .

It was a tale that Kristina told her children every Hanukah on the eighth night, lighting all the candles, which made the room so bright that Kristina was forced to turn off every other light in the room. She would sit on a stool, her daughters on the floor, and look down at them. Katie always got an approving glance, while Kristina's gaze slid over Hazel as though she wasn't there.

"So one night I had a gig at a bar," she would always start, "mostly they were songs about being in love and having your heart broken, since I had recently divorced Katie's father." Then Hazel would watch as her mother and sister shared a special smile, so filled with love and warmth, it made Hazel look away wondering in shame why neither ever smiled at her like that. Then her mother would go gooey eyed, "When my performance was over, a man walks up to me. He had pale skin that shined like the sun with bright blue eyes and light blond hair that he held back in a ponytail where it formed several glorious curls," Once more Hazel would look away because she didn't take after her father at all. Katie however would lean closer, loving the romance of it all. "He said, 'Thy's words speak well of thy heart and mind, I ask for one dance to make you mine.' I said yes as long as he didn't rhyme the whole evening.

"After that we went on a few dates until I bought him home. Then," Kristina's eyes would always shine over bright in the candlelight, looking at Katie as if _she_ were the god born one instead of Hazel. "Then I bought him home one night and Katie brings her storybook down the stairs. I'd been reading her old Roman myths. She had wanted me to read to read the one about the founding of Rome to her but took one look at the man by my side, opened the book, flipped it to a certain page, and pointed at a picture of Apollo, the sun god." A tear would run down the woman's face and Hazel would get in a mood thinking _Get a life woman_. After wiping the tear away Kristina would continue, "And then Apollo walked up to Katie and knelt to her level. Looking her right in the eyes he told her . . ."

" . . . You are my chosen, the next Oracle of Delphi for the demigods of Rome," Katie would say softly, starting to rise to her feet. Kristina would join her in it, as if reciting a ritualistic chant, "You see clearly through the mist unlike most mortals and have a gift for foresight. Into my world you will be dragged, but there willingly you will stay." By then both were projecting their voices as loud as they could by then, standing upright, leaving poor young Hazel on the floor, a third forgotten wheel. The two would look deeply into each other's eyes as Kristina would say, "He then told me to bring you to a spot seven years hence from that day so your destiny would be fulfilled."

Katie would then ask, "Where is it?"

"All in good time, Katie," Kristina would say. "All in good time." By then Hazel would slip out of the room. Her mother never seemed to care about her, which is why she never called her mom. The only good thing about living with her was that it gave Hazel access to a wide array of instruments and a recording studio, that had been in the basement of Kristina's house. Yet, every time Hazel would create an album, Kristina would smash it, saying it was terrible. Hazel had kept a box of secret copies of those first albums. When her friends heard them they said they were amazing, but Hazel never got the approval of her mother. Katie got the attention, was allowed to have sleepovers and play dates; got rewarded for good report cards; and was given dance lessons.

On the other hand, Hazel had to teach herself all of her instruments, was never allowed to leave the house, and even if she got an A+, was told she could do better. Hazel was often reminded that she was a lazy stupid, good-for-nothing pig that was a waste of time and space. Katie was nice enough to her sister, but never had time for her. Then when they had arrived at Half-Blood Training Academy, it was more of the same.

Soon after arriving Hazel rose to Praefectus Castrorum of the Apollo camp. She was the best healer, archer, and songwriter of all in the Academy, yet, Katie got the attention because she was _the Oracle_ and could predict their fates. Honestly, prophecies were muddled and never beat a good healing, but no one ever thanked Hazel. Even if she fixed a dangerous wound, people took it for granted that she was healing them, not giving a thought to the energy put into it, and never even gave her a smile. Jealousy had made Hazel bitter.

Then the last straw came when Hazel was made her sister's personal bodyguard during the Titan War. She had felt she'd never be rid of Katie! This was the exact thought she'd had before monsters had attacked the half protected camp. They'd set fire to some of the tents and despite Hazel's best attempts, Katie burned to death, Hazel right outside the flap. Since the Oracle had died and had no corpse to keep the spirit alive, Hazel's father had put the Oracle's spirit into Hazel as punishment for saving her sister. That had made it definite, that Hazel would never rid herself of Katie.

That last thought brought Hazel back into reality. She had been wrong to be jealous of her sister. It got her into a bad situation then and it would now. Hazel always thought that she would be remembered as Katie's little worthless sister. What Reyna said next proved it.

"Sometimes I wish Katie were still here don't you?" the commander asked. "There was just something about her that made these predictions seem less," Reyna paused searching for a word.

"Chaotic," Hazel muttered. She had always been good with words, not that anyone noticed.

"Yes chaotic," Reyna agreed with Hazel while ignoring her. It was something Hazel had gotten used to over the years. "I guess it was just her . . ."

"Enthusiasm," the word came out of Hazel's mouth as half a sigh.

"Yes, her enthusiasm made the prophecies seem less chaotic, easier to interpret," Reyna stated finally having gathered her thoughts. "We probably should tell Lupa."

"Yeah," Hazel said, not looking forward to the experience. Lupa had always understood Hazel. She was the closest thing Hazel had had to a mother. Lupa was the only one who appreciated Hazel for who she was. Nowadays however, whenever she saw Hazel, she gave her a disappointed look. It was like Hazel had stabbed Lupa when she couldn't save her sister. "We probably should." With that the two girls left the tent.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Percy

The Roman Camp kind of freaked Percy out.

Yeah, they were nice enough to give Percy a new purple t-shirt and a pack with the nesseccities(toothbrush, change of clothes, nectar, ambrosia, and some gold coins), but otherwise it was just eerily strict and disciplined. Ditches surrounded the camp filled with sticks sharpened to the finest point and capped in a metal that Lupa called Imperial Gold. Inside of that ring of fire that had to be magical kept both mortals and monsters from getting in. It was constantly changing color from orange to yellow to red, never dropping a centimeter or rising higher. Instead stayed a safe distance from the nearest tree and Percy's head. When Percy asked why it couldn't be higher Lupa told him it was because if the dryads's trees were burned they took to battling the demigods. It was a waste of fighters and time according to the old wolf. Percy could see why. Walking through the camp, Percy couldn't help but think that for a Roman Legion, this was pretty pathetic.

Most of the children who made up the camp were at least 2 and at most 30. Apparently, many had not left the camp since they were brought there at ages varying from 2 to 15. Percy had to admit the two 2 year old warriors he saw were the most impressive toddlers he had ever seen, if he could remember any children from before he came to the camp. _Academy_ he corrected himself. _They actually think to call this an Academy. _The more Lupa showed him, from the quarters of the lesser fighters, which couldn't fit Blackjack inside of them, to the Castra in the center of the bustling camp, the more Percy felt like he didn't belong there. It was just too . . . disciplined. When were these kids supposed to have fun? To him it seemed like all they did was train, learn, train, eat, and, well, train. The fighters only got 5 hours to sleep a day!

"Percy," a voice that was filled with an age and tragedy that Percy recognized. For some reason the next time he looked at Lupa the phrase 'Party Ponies' came to his head. Tracing that memory, Percy found only fierce loyalty at the end. He had no clue otherwise. Percy was looking at the wolf for several minutes before she finally spoke, " Your Pegasus has been taken to the stables and will be cared for. You will come with me, we have things to discuss I would rather not be overheard." The wolf then turned and walked across the Castra's courtyard.

The Castra was an impressive structure. On two sides were walkways, shaded under red tiled coverings. The other sides were walled except for a single corner that led into the surrounding camp. From that corner was a path that led to a large three story building. It looked like a mansion, one of those the snobby rich people live at. Large with many windows that looked like they would afford people amazing views of the surrounding miles of forest. Red tiles formed three peaked rooftops on the main structure while several smaller building seemed to grow out of it. All of this was constructed of some light stone mixture that Percy could never identify. Ivy clung to the walls of both the main structure and the surrounding out buildings. When they got closer, Percy could see the ivy was spiked with venomous thorns. He followed Lupa inside the main building.

The main room was lit with electric light bulbs; the walls lined with shelves containing books, newspaper, and magazines; and there were a few computers along one wall, but when Percy took a peak at the screens he found them all logged onto training programs for strategy and tactics. It was probably the most modern room in the entire place and better than Percy had expected. Honestly, he had thought it would be lit with torches, the walls lined with weapons, and filled with kids fighting one another then picking the meat off one another's bones like in some Medieval action movie. This was the much better option. Yet despite the comfort, Percy was wary. He knew dangerous places came in all disguises, from what experience though he did not know.

Percy had been keeping Lupa's tail in the corner of his eye so that he could keep following the hunter and still observe the big room. When you think about it though, it was kind of gross. Just so that he could gawp at the accommodations, he focused on a wolf's butt. Anyway, after walking across that whole room, and it was a very large room, they reached a set of doors on the other side. They went through one door then another and another and another, then up a flight of stairs and through even more doors. Once they went through a room where uniforms were washing themselves. Another time they were in a room that was filled with the heads of creatures that Percy thought looked familiar. The funniest of them all was a room filled with wolves _cooking. _He thought they were making pizza by the smell of it, and it did smell good, but Percy made a mental note to look for wolf hairs in his food.

The amount of navigating Lupa was doing to get to this one room made Percy felt like he was in a labyrinth, which he had a feeling he wasn't good at navigating. Finally they stopped in a small sitting room.

The chairs were fancy, made of red velvet with curvy designs on the arm rests that reminded Percy of twisting vines. With a gesture from Lupa, Percy gingerly sat in one of the chairs, not wanting to ruin such delicate furniture. Lupa paced back and forth while Percy watched. She reminded him of the people on those corny cop shows that ran interrogations. The only thing he wondered was when she would strike. Finally she sat three feet in front of Percy, tail lying flat on the floor behind her,looking at him almost as if she were sizing him up.

"Where did you come from?" she asked calmly.

"Uh," Percy said, once again trying to dig through the void that was his memory. "Your guess is as good as mine, cause I have no idea."

"You honestly have no clue of your identity, your background, or," the wolf paused and said, "Your past actions."

"No," he replied, "Do you?"

"I have several," the beast retorted giving him an odd look. "For one thing, you carry a blade made of celestial bronze. Another thing is in the testing grove, which shows destinies, it showed a past one. I think that at one time your destiny was tied to that golden eyed boy, but now the connection is severed for one reason or another. Instead it is tied to that girl and her captor." Percy stared at her. It took him a few seconds to realize that his mouth was hanging wide open and to then shut it tightly closed. He hadn't realized the wolf had been watching as he fought those two people. Despite his obvious shock and confusion, Lupa pressed on, "You were called a Son of Neptune and proved it when you pulled water from that nearby stream. Oh yes and right now I'm speaking Greek and you understand every word that I'm saying."

"Ttoia eivai n . . ." Percy began then stopped as he realized what he was saying wasn't english. What language was it? Greek she said? That was weird. Then the wolf got even freakier and took it's nose and nudged the necklace around Percy's neck. He'd forgotten it was there.

"That also contributes to my suspicions," Lupa stated, pulling her furry wet nose from Percy's chest. He picked up the necklace really examining it for the first time that day. There were five beads, each with a different design. The one that struck him the most was a bead that had the Empire State Building carved on its surface. Names traced the silhouette of the building. _Silena Beauguard . . .Beckendorf . . ._ they stirred smething in Percy that wasn't there any longer. Who were these people? What had they done to get their names carved onto this bead? Percy struggled to remember, receiving only a migraine for his efforts when his thoughts were interrupted.

It was what's her face, Reyna, who had tried to kill him and the girl who had ordered him to follow Lupa. She was holding a guitar. Both were breathing heavily, despite the great shape they were obviously in. Percy thought they must've run the whole way there which had to be at least the length of twenty blocks. Reyna was the first to speak.

"Sorry to interrupt you Lupa," she said then paused to take a breathe.

The black haired girl finished the sentence, "but I just showed her a new prophecy and we need your help figuring out what it means."

Lupa looked at Percy, curiosity riddled on her face, then back at the two girls "Sit,"she ordered. They complied easily, flopping onto the two nearest chairs. "Now," Lupa said in a commanding voice facing the black haired on. "Play me the prediction."


	10. Chapter 10

Sorry, this is really late at night, but my bro's bday pparty was today and well, you know how that is(and if you don't you are really lucky). Here's the next chapter. I read it over, but if something's confusing, comment on it and I'll try to clear it up. I think I'll have time tommorow(all depends on my father, who isn't dependable on such matters) but until then, enjoy!

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Chapter 10

Percy

When the girl was done playing her song Lupa spoke almost right away. "Well then," she began. "Obviously Hazel is going seeing as she's our prophet at the moment." The wolf had nodded at the black haired girl when she said Hazel. Percy sensed more behind the wolf's words than simply stating that the girl Hazel was their prophet, but didn't want to ask. The girl she had conjured up in her prophecy was the girl from the grove! The one he felt so deeply connected to! He had to go on this quest, he just knew it! Despite the thoughts tumbling through Percy's brain, Lupa continued slowly. "I believe Reyna is the warrior, but we will discuss it at the Gathering this evening." Gathering? Oh, yeah, Lupa had already explained this. It was a gathering of the whole Legion to discuss tactics around a bonfire. "It is also plain the the third companion she referred to was Percy here." Both girls looked at him. He nodded, agreeing with the old wolf despite the danger the prophecy seemed to whisper of.

"Why?" the girl Reyna demanded. "Why him he just got here for gods's sake! We don't even know if we can trust him! I think . . ." A growl emerged for the she-wolf's throat as she leaped through the air and onto Reyna's chest. Girl and wolf fell backwards onto the plush floor. Placing a paw on each shoulder, Lupa glared at the girl beneath her. The ornate chair, that Percy had thought couldn't hold his weight, was holding both up.

The wolf snarled at the girl who stared back at her, eyes filled with determination. Percy was shocked he hadn't heard any bones cracking. Either Reyna had a lot cushioning on her less flexible body parts or the large wolf was the lightest predator in creation. Lupa snarled once more, "I have my reasons," she said, a clear snarl behind every word. "I will explain them to you, but only at the Gathering. Do you understand?" Reyna nodded, biting her lip. "Good," Lupa said, climbing off the girl gingerly. "We can't have anyone questioning orders can we?" When she made that last inquiry, it was obviously directed at Hazel. The petite girl looked away.

Reyna rubbed her arms where the wolf's paws had rested. Then she started to pick up the chair. "Fine," she said glaring at the wolf, "He'll go with us, but there had better be a good reason. Should I get the shield ready?"

"No," the wolf replied. "The shield is for those unclaimed, this boy has been." Reyna opened her mouth again but Lupa spoke before she could, "And there will be no need to tattoo him either." Nodding, Reyna now sat perfectly straight in her chair again, waiting for orders Percy thought. He looked at the girl Hazel and took note she was staring at the floor, her guitar now leaning on her arm rest. When she sensed his eyes on her she looked up at him. Her dark eyes widened, cheeks turned a dark red, and she looked away once more.

Lupa looked from one demigod to the other. "None of you have been properly introduced to Percy here have you?" she asked. Both of the girls shook their heads. Percy thought the contrast in their attitudes was almost comical, one more stubborn than a Satyr looking for Pan and the other meeker than a mind to Dionysus. He wondered if these two were friends, and if so, how close they were. _Not very_ he thought. _Reyna doesn't even seem to notice that her friend is unhappy about something_.

Lupa pointed at the girl Reyna with her nose and introduced her as, "Reyna McHenry, daughter of Mars and Second in Command of the Half-Blood Legion and," the wolf turned to Hazel, "this is Hazel Adams, Daughter of Apollo and head of the Apollo Cohort." That confused Percy.

"Wait a minute," he said, "all the gods's have different names here. Is Apollo still . . ."

"Yes Apollo is still the sun god," Lupa interrupted turning to face Percy, "of all the gods, his name didn't change when he came to Rome." _Okay then_, Percy thought, _Apollo is a bit full of himself_.

"Now," she said, "here is Percy, son of Neptune. He has no recollection of his past. All I know of him comes from what I observe and what I was told by Juno when she dropped him off." The girls gasped. Apparently gods didn't drop kids off at this place often. Percy wondered why with the place so cheerful and welcoming. "Yes," Lupa continued, starting to pace, "a goddess known to hate demigods dropped him off here. Outside of this I've sworn on the River Styx not to tell." The wolf heaved a sigh, "You should go clean yourselves up for dinner. I have things to do." All three of them got up at once, the two girls saluting the wolf before following Percy to the door. Once outside of it, Percy realized he had no idea which way to go. It didn't help that Reyna stormed out of the room and went in a direction that was completely opposite of the one he could've sworn he and Lupa had come in.

His suspicions were confirmed when a soft voice behind him informed him, "Don't follow her." Though he would never admit it, Percy jumped when he heard the girl's voice. When he turned he saw it was Hazel, Apollo's daughter. "She's heading to her office, probably to bawl her eyes out or throw darts at something, it usually depends on the day." Hazel's voice was sweet and melodic hinting at the voice she had when she sang.

"Uh, thanks," he said, unsure how to continue. "Which way should I go?" The look he gave her must have been really confused because Hazel laughed. It looked as though she hadn't done so in a long time but enjoyed it when she did. Percy certainly enjoyed the sound of her laugh, which he thought was like high ringing bells.

Finally, when the girl caught her breath, she responded, "Just follow me," and turned in the direction opposite that which Reyna had gone. Percy shrugged and followed her. He had no reason not to trust her and he might get some straight answers. He had to practically run to catch up with her, but once he had done so she was easy to keep up with.

"So," he began, picking an easy question to get her talking. "Why would Reyna bawl her eyes out? She doesn't seem like that kind of girl."

"Oh," Hazel replied, "She's just been that way since Jason went missing. No one's supposed to know but they were going out when he went missing two weeks ago." The girl looked over at him curiously. "I have a feeling you're connected to his disappearance somehow. It's just a feeling. . ."

Okay, he had to get her off this line of thinking, whoever Jason was."How long have you been here?"

"9 years," she replied curtly, "never left the camp during all of them. No one does unless they have a quest or there's a war. All we do is train year round and correspond with the parents who don't know their kid's half god enough to keep them happy. Not that half of the parents care enough to actually check if there's a school here." Percy could sense the bitterness in her voice. He wondered if her parent was like the ones she had described.

Again, he got simple questions going. "Was there a war recently?"

"Oh yeah there was," a mixture of longing and regret filled Hazel's voice, "Everyone went but the weakest and, of course, me." Hearing the sadness in her voice, Percy wished he could do something for her, but didn't know her well enough to do so. Instead, he tried to distract her with his real questions.

"What's with that grove during the test thing?" he asked. "I mean Lupa said something about destiny and . . ."

"That pretty much sums it up," Hazel said, once more all business. "It predicts the destiny of any demigod that steps there and has them fight it. If you think about it, it sort of forewarns them of what to look out for."

"Like you," Percy stated simply. If he were judging the hallways right(yeah that was going to happen), they were almost out of the Castra. If they were Percy hoped that Hazel would let him stick with her. He'd need a guide so he could survive the camp long enough for hi to leave it for his quest.

"Yes," sadness once more filling Hazel's voice, "like me." Then, not knowing what else to do, Percy plowed on with his questions about the camp.


	11. Chapter 11

For those of you who keep asking for different peoples POVs, I'm doing this like the book the Lost Hero where each character gets two chapters and always in the same order (That order is Percy, Annabeth, Reyna, Hazel). These are the other four demigods I think/hope are part of the Great Prophecy. I'm sticking to it, no extra's for Percy and I'll try to tell what's going in Camp Half-Blood through Annabeth, but that's about it. I hope you guys like this chapter, though I think I spilt some blood writing it, no matter how short it is.

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Chapter 11

Annabeth

Athena's daughter couldn't believe the situation she was in. Gaea had captured her for the sole purpose of breaking her boyfriend. No, she couldn't think of Percy while she was in this situation. It just bought on more emotional pain. It also added to her hurt pride. Here she was worrying about him being in danger, when she was the one causing it! Because she'd been caught by the sleeping Earth! Annabeth had to escape.

Gaea had taken her knife, but Annabeth was only held in place by mud. It wouldn't take much to get out. All she would need is to dig long enough with her hands . . .

Annabeth's captor had been talking into a bowl of water a few minutes before, but as soon as Annabeth's thoughts turned toward escape, the woman of dirt turned toward the girl. "Oh you are a smart one," Gaea said confidently eyes still closed, breathing even. The sleeping mass of soil leaned in toward Annabeth. The girl flinched back from the smell of wet dirt and decaying animals filled her nostrils. The dirt woman stroked the girl's face, "It's okay sweetie pie," the Great Mother consoled in a high falsetto voice. " Everything will be gone when you wake up honey. Sleep." That voice made it sound like a simple suggestion, but to Annabeth's body it was an order. Despite the fact that she didn't want to sleep, despite her desperate need to escape, Annabeth found herself slipping into the comforting arms of slumber.

Normally, demigods dream of things going on in the outside world or of others pasts, but instead this time Annabeth dreamed in flashbacks of her life with Percy in it. Only difference was that she was looking from the outside in at bits and pieces of the story.

It started the day Percy came to the camp. He had just beaten a Minotaur with pretty much his bare hands. She had been positive he was the one who would get her out of camp and she had been right. Scooping him ambrosia she would ask him questions, but when he woke up, she only said obvious things to make herself seem aloof from the whole situation. When he was claimed by Poseidon, Annabeth knew Percy was her way out, but wasn't sure how to treat him seeing he was Poseidon's son.

It was awkward at first, but Annabeth could now see Percy had been as nervous as she was from that first moment. She watched as she and Percy went on quest after quest after quest. She saw how she became closer and closer to the son of Poseidon. She watched as she fell for the Seaweed Brain. It was great, like one of those action movies. Percy was the hero and she was the tough girlfriend.

Of course, there was also been Rachael, but Annabeth ignored those parts not caring since she got the guy. It was actually pretty fun to watch.

Then that feeling changed when Percy disappeared. Annabeth watched as she hunted for him. Watched as she found the demigods Jason, Piper, and Leo. Then saw as she went out to look for her boyfriend. Saw as she fought monsters for him and came back to Camp Half Blood only to find Percy replaced by a Roman demigod. At least Jason was intent on finding Percy as much as she was. However the flying boat was more complicated than any of Daedalus's machines, and she'd been studying them for the past year and a half. No way it would take Leo only six months to build it, even with the help of the rest of the Hephaestus cabin. Annabeth knew patience was key, but from what Leo said about the Roman camp, they could have been roasting Percy over a pit fire at any moment.

That idea didn't really appeal to Annabeth. She knew patience was a key to finding Percy, but she wasn't in the mood for patience. She wanted Percy safe with her, no matter how loosely the word safe was used in that phrase.

Looking at herself, Annabeth could tell she'd hidden those feelings well. To anyone looking at her, they saw a well organized girl looking for her boyfriend deliberately, keeping her emotions separate from the work. It seemed like no one but Chiron noticed the sad, distant looks, the clenched fists, and the bitten, bleeding lips and finger nails. When the flashbacks reached an end, Annabeth felt herself traveling away from her own head and memories. Instead,she ended up in a comfortable room, obviously designed for sleeping as it was filled with a huge bed covered in pillows and a large warm looking blanket. Outside of that, Annabeth couldn't see much. Some guy was blocking her way.

The man before her looked like any other guy. He had brown hair and indistinct features. His eyes were a sleepy brown that seemed to pull her into a world of dreams. Just looking at him made her want to yawn. The strangest thing though, was that wings emerged from his back. Annabeth thought they emerged from his shoulder blades.

"Hello Annabeth," he greeted, "I am Hypnos, god of dreams."


	12. Chapter 12

I have three things to say about this chapter regarding my prophecy: hint, hint, and, let me see. hint(sorry if this is immature, but it does have a lovely and large foreshadow don't you think?)

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Chapter 12

Annabeth

"Hypnos," Annabeth returned his greeting with a respectful bow. She had never figured out how one could bow in a dream, but had decided long ago that she had enough headaches without adding that one to it. "How are you communicating with me? I thought that Zeus . . ."

"Had closed the doors of Olympus ex cetera, ex cetera, ex cetera," Hypnos stated in a knowing, bored, and tired voice. "Yes, well. He can't keep me from doing my job and I told him as much." The man yawned. "Mortals need dreams. If they don't have them and the world goes over to Eris, then we're all in trouble." The god shuddered and continued, "Now, you need to stay where you are."

"Oh, cause I am having so much trouble with that," Annabeth said in a voice filled with sarcasm.

Once again the god yawned, "It's vitally important that you do so. If you don't Hera's plan will fail." yawning once more he looked at Annabeth. "I will be here if you ever need help or just a listening ear. I am always here, just say my name." The vision started to fade

"Why?" Annabeth called, "Why are you helping me?"

"Because, daughter of Athena, you will once again play a role in all of our fates. I would like to live the next couple of millennia with a nice comfortable bed to sleep on and," he yawned, "some warm milk nearby." Hypnos fell on the bed as Annabeth came to consciousness.

Annabeth woke up, but kept her eyes closed, deciding not to alert Gaea that she was awake. She knew when the woman did know she was up, she was in for pain. That wasn't desirable.

Feeling her surroundings, Annabeth could tell something was different about them. Mud no longer coated her feet, legs, hips, and hands. Instead it was something hard and rough that confined her. Her hands had somehow clenched into fist. She tried to open them only to come across something hard and wooden. Suddenly, Annabeth knew what Gaea was doing.

_Stay where you are my butt, _Annabeth thought to Hypnos. _As if escape were possible. Speaking of which, if I'm part of the Prophecy why doesn't she just kill me?_

A voice drifted into her head, as if on a breeze. That voice was Hypnos's soft lazy voice, _All in good time dear. The next time you sleep._

It took all of the control in the world for Annabeth not to scream at the sleep god, but instead she focused on her surroundings once more.

There was some scraping, the sound of a hose turning on, and the flip of a coin. Gaea muttered something. Then a voice greeted, "Hello mistress. How is it that I may serve you today?"The voice was genderless, soft and inviting.

Gaea didn't mutter now. She spoke out clearly, "News from the Roman camp?"

"The prophet made a prophecy," the voice said. "They will leave, I'm sure as, soon as they find an entrance. I will of course help the boy, but I need your help to make it work."

"And what might that help be?"

"A certain . . . structure was greatly damaged almost two years back. It is well within your capabilities to, how shall we say, fix it."

A few moments passed as if some other communication took place."How do you know they will need such a passageway? Particularly one as unstable as that?"

"Why, my dear mother," the voice, full of assurance, stated, "the girl's prophecy mentioned them needing a clear sighted mortal." Annabeth had to bite her tongue to keep from gasping. She now knew how Percy was coming for her and did not like it one tiny bit.

"Ahhhh," the Great Mother sighed. "Well, I can fix something up for our little heroes. That way, even if they rescue the girl, I have a back-up plan to get rid of them." _That_ was why Annabeth did not like the sound of this. She did _not_ want her boyfriend roaming pretty much in the middle of Gaea's realm. That was not good, not good at all. "Any other news," Gaea asked her informant.

"None mam," it replied. "If you'll excuse me I have duties to handle," and with that, the voice was gone and the hose soon after silenced. A few moments passed until there was a rustling as if Gaea moved.

All of a sudden a white hot burst of pain shot through Annabeth, forcing her to open her eyes. Every part of her was on fire. Every part of her burning to ash. Briefly she wondered if this was what it was like to jump in the river Styx. If so, she wondered how Percy and Luke had made it. It was all she could do to just not scream in pain, but she would not give the Earth woman, a source of much more pain than this, the satisfaction. Finally, the pain receded.

Annabeth gasped for several minutes, trying to get out the air she hadn't let out screaming and bring clean air in all at the same time. When she was finally done with that, the girl looked up at Gaea.

The Great Mother looked as she had before: black hair, dirt body, the whole I-am-an-Earth-goddess-all-shall-bow-before-me shebang. Only this time when Annabeth saw her, a blood red glow came off the woman only as it did when Annabeth hated someone to her very core. The phrase "If looks could kill . . ." ran through Annabeth's head, completely disregarding the fact that Gaea was immortal.

"Well my dear," Gaea stated in that false motherly tone again. " You do make a lovely Oak tree. I realize now you're only half of one, but in a few days," she shrugged her shoulders, "I had to give your boyfriend a dealine. Otherwise he'd take his time coming here, wouldn't he? Now," once more Gaea paused,"we'll see if we can get the help of your friend Daedalus, or someone almost as clever as him, then make you . . . pretty for the camera," coming from Gaea's lips the word sounded like worse torture was in store, "and make a little presentation for our dear Percy to watch in his sleep, shall we?"


	13. Chapter 13

Hi! Sorry I missed yesterday, but I spent 14 hours straight at school! Brian 2pick, you're in this chapter. Since you're a son of Nike, well, you'll see. Enjoy!

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Chapter 13

Reyna

Reyna knew she had to be part of this quest. There was no way they were embarking on it without her! They needed a warrior and with Jason gone . . . no she shouldn't think of Jason. Then she realized that her body stopped moving.

Reyna hadn't known where she was going, only that her body was moving. Now, shocked from her furious reverie, she looked around. She was in front of her office. To her left was the wolves's sleeping den and the administrative offices, to her left a hallway that led to a janitors closet and behind her . . . She shouldn't think about that until she was inside. Reaching for the open door, a voice interrupted.

"Hey! Reyna! Wait up! I need to talk to you!"the voice was deep and rumbling. Reyna sighed, the big black son of Nike was the head of the minor gods camp. He was over eager but really good in a fight. Only thing was, even at her 5 foot 10 inch height Reyna had to look up at the thin towering boy at an angle that made her neck hurt. Slowly she turned to face him.

"Hey Brian," her voice in full command mode to hide the pain. She had straightened up in her posture after it had started to sink in depression. Reyna looked into his eyes with an authority that belonged to one older than her years. "What is it?"

Brian's relaxed position immediately stiffened then straightened. "The minors have some presentations they'd like you to approve for tonight's gathering." Even though he stood at attention, he managed to insert a flirtatious wink into the whole statement. Brian had attracted the attention of every girl in camp. Since it was forbidden to have a relationship in the limits of the Academy, he probably had dates with those girls he favored in the woods. Reyna wondered which girl that would be tonight.

"The minors may not have a presentation on equal work rights in Olympus. It's not a concern of ours," Reyna stated. She would have sighed but it wasn't proper. This was the minors, children of the minor gods, 53rd attempt to protest their parents positions on Olympus. Brian had started to open his mouth again. "And they can't talk about having breaks to go home. Trust me, I want it to, but we need to train all year, if not we'll be unprepared for an attack. Do you want a repeat of last summer?" Brian flinched when she asked the last question. That summer, while the rest of the camp was off fighting the Titans, monsters had come and burned down half the camp. It was nothing they wanted repeated.

Brian nodded, as if that was the answer he expected. "That's what I thought, but the camp wanted me to ask."

"I know," Reyna said. Brian started to turn away, but Reyna remembered something. "Oh, yeah, tell the Hecate people to _not _put spells on people during gatherings. Lupa won't put up with it and I really don't want to that many beatings again. Too many squeamish wimps getting what's coming to them. It's too much for me to bear." Brian grinned, nodded, and left. Finally Reyna entered her office.

When Reyna was about twelve, she and Jason were walking on a patrol in the woods. Reyna had known that she liked Jason for a while by then. There was just something about the sincereness that always filled his eyes, the way his hair rippled in the breeze, and the electricity that came off of him during a fight.

Anyway, they'd been walking the patrol in silence as they always had when they reached the old maple tree. It was the tree every demigod in the Academy got the easy way out of patrolling. After climbing to the top, you had a view of the whole camp. So they climbed up to their favorite branch, one that held them both up easily. Reyna got a bit closer to Jason than usual. The warmth of his body was nice in the chilled evening air.

They sat that way for an hour, the whole shift, saying nothing, looking out into the forest. It was nice to watch the sun set, watching each color fade into a darker color until the sky was almost black. Particularly knowing Jason was there.

All too soon, the horn call rang through the woods saying it was time to go. Both of them had jumped, but jason had caught her and flew them both down. Reyna couldn't believe how close he was to her. She could feel his scent, that of open skies and wet rains, filling her nostrils.

Slowly he leaned in and gave her the first of their many forbidden kisses. Then he placed her on the ground gently and left. She was grateful he had leaned her against a tree, because she was so dizzy, Reyna knew without it she would faint.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Reyna

Reyna entered her office and shut the door. Still holding the door knob she turned, almost expecting Jason to be there as he always had been. Instead of him sitting in the chair however, it was only dust. She sighed, letting her whole body slump, leaning against the wall. Why wouldn't Lupa let them look for him? All the wolf had said was something about it being dangerous with others roaming the country. Reyna had asked her what she had meant, all the she-wolf had told her was that she wasn't allowed to say.

Walking to her desk, Reyna ran her fingers along the edge of her desk, feeling the smooth mahogany underneath. It was only from habit. When Jason had been in the room it was always to discuss tactics and share a few swift yet clinging kisses. Now however, her doing this only bought back memories. It was a comforting gesture, nothing more. Reyna dropped into her chair. It was a one of those chairs that could spin around. The fabric was a soft worn color that was somewhere between orange and brown. On somedays, it was nice to spin in the chair and let all the pain and fear go. Today was not one of them.

Mars's daughter leaned forward onto her desk. She lay her head down the way students do in class when they want to sleep, but instead she looked at the pictures that formed a circle on her desk. They were all of her with someone close to her, though some were family photos she got from her mother every Christmas.

Starting at the left was a five-year-old Reyna and a woman with full, chocolate-colored hair and deep brown eyes. She would've been pretty if it were not for the several scars and bruises visible in the picture alone. Her heavily muscled body also gave the impression more that she was tough and would punch you, than that she would be a great, gentle, caring woman. Reyna knew for a fact she was both, for the woman in the photo was her mom, Raven McHenry.

Reyna looked up to her mother, who was a legend at her high school for being as good as any NFL player. In fact, only reason she hadn't gone to college was that no football scholarships were offered to females. Raven had also had 4 older brothers, who had continuously tried to beat her up(or so Grandma Thorn had said) only to have Raven defended herself as well as any warrior from any time period, which Reyna knew to be true. Raven now worked as a martial arts teacher in her home town raising Reyna's 5 little brothers and sisters, who Reyna heard from often through letters.

The picture next to it was Reyna at age six with her step-father, Dave. He was pretty much a normal guy, sandy brown hair, dull brown eyes, etc. etc. At least he had a sense of humor which was more than could be said for most people Reyna knew now a days. The people at camp were very hard or scared except for those who were leaders and the Mercury kids. Otherwise, all of the demigods were workers. None of them had a trace of childhood left in them. Dave knew how to laugh.

After that it was all just pictures of her with camp friends. Her with Lupa, Kelly, Dakota, Brian, Jason . . . She looked down at her desk. For the first time she realized a fine piece of parchment lay on it. Sitting up, Reyna examined it.

The writing was in a fancy script, the kind you see in fairy tale books. Fighting her dyslexia, Reyna struggled to read the writing.

_Msr. McHenry_

_There is a quest that will be strated sono. It is necessary that yu go on the pest. Otherwise ti is doomed to fali. Don't show ths to Lupa, twill only frighten the old god. Thank em later._

_A friend_

After deciphering what she could see, Reyna sat back. Who was this friend? Why shouldn't she tell Lupa? The girl shook her head. She really should stop asking so many questions. It wasn't proper for a girl of Mars's descent. It was probably just Jason's . . . Ugh, she _really_ needed to stop thinking about him. It would only cause her to cry. That wouldn't be good considering she now had to go out and convince the whole camp she needed to go on this quest.

It would take a lot of convincing, particularly after her last one.


	15. Chapter 15

Happy Halloween eve everybody! If your going Trick or Treating have fun! Me, I'm going to see a show on the great white way (you know broadway) with my dad. Either way, it'll be fun. Also, if you want to help kids world wide, there's this great program called UNICEF that you can go around trick or treating for. I think they hand out boxes at McDonalds or something. Anyway enjoy this new chapter! Review!

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Chapter 15

Hazel

The boy Percy followed Hazel back to her tent. He had a lot of questions, most of which just made her laugh. Of course there were the usual, though he seemed to know all the gods by their Greek names which was was weird, but it was okay. He at least didn't ignore her or judge her. He saw her with fresh eyes, which was a nice difference from her normal treatment.

In fact Hazel gat so comfortable talking to Percy she let somethings slip that normally she wouldn't have. By then they were sitting on her bed, when he started on her family "So what's your family like?"

"Why do you ask?" Hazel looked over he was staring in the distance a pained look on his face. If Hazel didn't know better she was trying to remember something. She was right.

"Because I can't remember mine, I can't remember anything about it and I want to." Percy looked so sad when he said it, as if he thought family were a good thing. Hazel knew she had to destroy this illusion at its root. No one needed her pain.

"Family is a waste of time," she stated shortly. "They pick you up and drop you, then never show you any gratitude. The only thing you have that's sure is work."

He flinched. "Come on," he begged, "I need some sort of picture even if it's a bad one." Then Hazel made the mistake of looking in his eyes.

They were a deep green, almost emerald but not quite, and completely filled with trust. Suddenly Hazel found herself telling the story of her life. First the one her mom always told at Hannukah then some more. "I was born March 22 of that year. I liked to bang on things, and hummed my first tune at six months old. At least that's what Katie told me. At the point in time, Kristina liked me apparently, that is until my first Hanukah. On the last night, when Kristina lit the last candle, a gift appeared on the floor in front of me. When I unwrapped it, the object was revealed to be a guitar. I couldn't walk yet, couldn't even talk, but I picked up that little guitar and started to play Bruce Springstein's 'Born to Run', which by the way is a very difficult song. After that, apparently Kristina couldn't stand the sight of me. According to Katie she didn't like the thought of anyone being better than her." Bitterness filled Hazel's voice at that last.

"Wait a minute, I don't get it," Percy interjected, still looking her in the eyes. "Yur mom didn't want to go big time, but didn't want anyone to be better than her."

"According to Katie, mom just said that she didn't want to make it big because she knew she never could. For once I think Katie was right." Tears were filling Hazel's eyes, she could feel them along with the lump that always came along with them.

For a while Percy seemed to understand her, but he now looked lost again. "What do you mean for once? She was the Oracle she had to get things right a lot wouldn't she?" he inquired. Upon hearing the question, Hazel got up and walked to her trunk of things. On the bottom was a red and gold dress. It was the oracle formal wear that Hazel had inherited with the gift of prophecy. Slowly she lifted it out and unfolded it with a care that one only sees with a mother handling a child. Hazel did not think of what was inside of its folds as her child, however, but as her burden. This strange boy might be the one to get her out of it. Finally Hazel reached the center of the folds. There lay a little purple book, the one thing salvaged from the fire. Katie's journal.

Hazel picked it up and refolded the dress. As she did so she explained, "Katie was like my mother. She acted one way, but felt another. While she acted like she loved everyone and everything in the world, she wrote in hear and told me of how bad the world was. Particularly me once we got here." Now Hazel started to put everything back in its proper place in the trunk. "She said I shouldn't get to full of myself. Just because I could heal and write music, my day would come. At home she had been sweet, but here," Hazel looked down at the ground and whispered something her grandmother had once told her, "Angels on the street, devils at home."

"What?" Percy evidently hadn't heard her.

Hazel repeated the phrase. "My grandmother used it to describe her kids, my mother included. It means that they're good out in public but at home," Hazel shrugged, "not so much." She was done putting things away. Walking once more toward the bed, Hazel tossed the diary to Percy. "Read that and you'll see the contrast between an angel and a devil."

Percy started to flip through the book. "Um," he said, "The letters are sort of dancing of the page." Hazel hit herself on the forehead, how could she have forgotten something like that.

"Dyslexia," she told him. Starting to say more, Percy finished her sentence for her.

"All demigods have it."

Walking into the healing tent Hazel called, "How can you remember that but not your family?" She picked out a bottle that read "Read Anglicus". It would do the trick.

"I don't know," Percy called, "it's almost like selective memory or something. All I really know is what Hera told me."

Hera? Oh yeah Juno. That sounded interesting, Hera hated demigods. Well al the demigods but Jason that is. Hazel wondered . . . "What did Jun . . Hera say to you?"

"Just told me it was necessary that I didn't remember anything. Really annoying."

"Gods have a tendency to be like that," Hazel said praying none of those gods were listening. She then walked back into her tent and handed the bottle to Percy. Sitting she said, "The potions one I've been working on, it helps demigods read english without the whole letters dancing off the page thing. We'll each get a bottle before we leave for our quest. Now drink." She watched as he drank the bottle down, not caring to tell him that the last one she'd tried to make made the person's eyes bleed. When he was finished, Percy looked at the page.

His eyes widened and he looked back at Hazel. "I can actually read it." With that they started to read Katie's journal.


	16. Chapter 16

Hello again! Hope you all had a nice Halloween! here is chapter 16. It's a bit more serious than I would want it to be, but that's the way things go. please review. Enjoy!

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Chapter 16

Hazel

"She started this after spending 5 years here, because she was sick of taking it out on me," Hazel said. Then the two demigods, who had only known each other for a half an hour, sat togther and read from the small composition notebook.

_Date: July 31_

_I can't believe it! I'm here, I got my gift thingy from some crazy hippy lady who then proceeded to die. For five years I've been here and what do I get from it? Nothing. It was the strangest and stupidest thing I've done in my life. Now, I'm stuck in this place, which pretty much reminds me of a prison. All these stupid gladiators and idiotic wolfs. No dating allowed, yet still I smile and make nice with my playmates, I don't want to be skewered with their pigsticker whatchamacallit thing-a-ma-bobbers. The only good thing these people do is respect me. I guess its their one redeeming quality._

_Anyway, I should probably put down who's in charge of this imbecilic place(like the word I got it from Hazel today, she called me it before, well, before I did what I usually do to Hazel). Okay so here goes:_

_Lupa: wolf, seems very held in, what's that word, conserved, that's it, yes very conserved. Dirty, smells bad, leads these people like a parent. Worst part is the kids actually listen to her._

_Jason: kind of cute, otherwise he's pretty much a brute, son of Jupiter which is supposed to be a big deal and all. I think the kid is stupid stuck up son of a . . . don't want to say it particularly after what mother did, the wolves can read it, at least the lovey idiot campers can't_

_Reyna: another brute, daughter of Mars etc, etc, etc_

_Lord this thing is a mess. Oh, people coming. Better get ready, I'm their oracle, can't go around complaining about them. Or cursing their heads off, so I won't curse here either. Flap's opening_

_Date: November 2_

"Wait a minute," Percy stated, "what happened to the other months?"

"Katie wasn't that consistent of a writer," Hazel interjected.

"And what's . . ."

"You'll see," she pointed at the page. Like a three year old child she ordered, "read." And so he did, with Hazel looking over his shoulder, trying to make out the dancing letters.

_Worst Halloween ever. Mainly because, these freaks don't celebrate the holiday. No costumes, no candy, not even a a little hershey kiss! Lord knows, I haven't had anything but pizza and chicken nuggets and steaks for the past three months. I need something that is made from sugar or is salty. Chips, Cheez-its, maybe I'd even stoop to doritos._

Percy gave Hazel a questioning look. "She hated Doritos_," _Hazel informed him. He nodded and went back to reading.

_It's not only the food, it's the people. I thought Hazel was a nut, but some of these guys are completely insane. Hazel is sane compared to most of them. For example, Dakota, son of Bacchus, is always growing stupid grape vines. Then again, he has an excuse since his father makes people insane. Then the rest of them though? Reyna again,that daughter of Mars, she's always bullying everyone in the camp saying hey-listen-to-me being all tough guy. Then her boyfriend Jason, just stands there and does nothing. I make a few prophecies here and there but the rest of the time it's just work, work, work, talk, talk, talk, and strategize, strategize, strategize to fight the stupid thousand year old Titans. I know we're going to lose something, not sure what, probably gonna be the whole war, but it won't be pretty. Blood will be spilt, and though it's terrible to say, I hope it's these campers. They think they're all high and mighty but they just aren't. I know they aren't in my bones. Plus, I've got a thousand voices of a thousand Oracles rising in my head. It started as a simple whisper, but I can feel they're growing in my head. I can ride the way though, I'm confident I can ride the way though even if they think I am wrong._

Percy looked up. "That was mean." Hazel shook her head.

"She's being kind in this book, you honestly don't know the half of it. You'll see, I think it's the next entry that you get a pretty good idea. So read," Hazel gestured toward the notebook and after a few moments, he turned his head back into the book.

_Date: February 15_

_Their gaining control . . . Can barely write, hardly have strength to keep face for the demigods . . .only link from all these spirits, all these lives, which not only reside in the afterlife, Dis, is hitting Hazel. She always hated swimming, if she could swim in this weather, and now she avoids it,as well as the locker room. She's so black and blue, it's the only real thing I like anymore. She's probably the only one who actually knows who I am. That's depressing, because she's the only one who doesn't like me. Apollo doesn't even know. He believes I am his perfect little Oracle. He doesn't hear all of his hundreds of other Oracles screaming. Doesn't hear them pleading for him to find another Oracle. Saying I'm unpure, I am destined for disaster, I am destined to kill. Well, I know my fate now don't I. I also know who it is I'll kill. And everyone will think it's the enemy. But it will be me._

Once again Percy looked at Hazel. "What did that mean?"

"It meant," Hazel tried to swallow but couldn't, she could feel the tears coming to her eyes but held them back as she had learned over the years. Finally she breathed and stated cooly, "It meant that she beat me. It was the only thing that gave her joy and it also meant," Hazel paused considering her words carefully,"also meant that I am sister to a traitor." She sighed, she was getting very sick of saying it, "Read." It came out as an order, one of which Percy obeyed

_Date: May 4_

_The plan's are made. It's ready. I know the signal. I know what to do and I'll get rid of this curse finally and bring these idiots down with it._

_I don't understand why mother always made me feel so proud to be this, this thing, that always knows what's going to happen. She didn't mention seeing dreams of everyone they know dying, watching them bleed out. Watching them and being happy about it. Being happy that their pathetic lives and suffering are over. Watching and wishing it were me._

"That's her . . ." Percy started.

"Planning to betray the camp. Burn it down actually." This time Percy didn't need yo be told to read on.

_Date: August 19_

_I can't, I can't do it. I can't watch these people go up in flames. I can't, not with Hazel here. I begged, pleaded not to have her on as my guard, but nope, blood-kin guard blood-kin. Now, I can kill my sister or just myself._

_Later_

_Well, Hazel decided it for me. She come in to check on me, stiff, expecting a beating. It's only now I realize I beat her because she's better than me. Better than I can ever . . .THE PAIN! All of these voices, all these prophecies, and images. All terrible and violent until Hazel walks in here, all big eyed and sad, yet hardened. She asks me if I'm okay, inspects the place, and then turns around and says though I am mean to her and beat her up(though the past few years that has been getting harder, since she's been learning to fight, but then again so have I) she loved me. I'm her sister and she loved me. And I'm pretty sure that wasn't even a half lie. She's the only one who knows me and she loves me. I can't kill her. I know what I'll do. I'll get the anti-fire powder from the Hecate people and circle it around my camp. If nothing else it will slow it down enough to save her. It will, I can see it, but she'll get this . . . oh it's better she has it. She can handle it better._

Percy turned and stared at Hazel. Hazel stared back, for a moment that felt like years, stared deeply into his green eyes. It was almost as if she were drowning in them. _Stop it_ she told herself _his love is that blonde girl._ Quickly, Hazel looked away from those eyes. Finally, Percy broke the silence. "She killed herself, burned herself to death to save you. To save the sister she beat for years, knowing full and well you would become Oracle."

"And I didn't even try to save her," Hazel told the floor quietly, the guilt leaking in to her voice. Her sister had sacrificed herself to save her and she had done nothing in return, it was terrible.

Hazel thought Percy would say something but a bell rang in the distance. It startled the two enough to cause them to jump up, knocking the book to the floor. It landed with a thud. After a moment, Hazel and Percy looked at each other. Panting Hazel explained "Dinner bell." She could look at him again, as long as she didn't look in his eyes. Reaching for the book, the tears that had been held back begged to be released. Percy got to the book first. It was then that they noticed a small slip of paper had fallen out of the book and onto the ground. Percy picked it up, read it, and tossed it back where it had come from.

Turning to Hazel, he then said, "We'd better go," then stormed from the tent.


	17. Chapter 17

Hello again. This message will be brief. Chapter 17 has little action, but the next one will, I promise. Thanks, enjoy, and keep reading!

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Chapter 17

Percy

Percy walked out of Hazel's tent scared. That note from her sister's journal, unpure she may have been, but Katie had just scared his pants off from beyond the grave. _Please may Hazel not read it_ he begged inside of his head. Then he realized what an idiot he was. He'd left it on the floor for her to pick up to read. Looking back he sighed in relief, she was right behind him. The cursed daughter of Apollo was the closest thing he had to a friend. He didn't want to lose that. He needed a friend.

"Hey," Hazel called from behind him. Percy was storming toward the bells. He couldn't face her, not now, not after reading that. He wanted to get to this Gathering quickly. Apparently there'd be food at this Gathering thing. He needed some food to calm himself down. This place, these people said he was one of them, yet, he felt like an outsider. As though he didn't belong and he'd only had a conversation with two of these demigods.

"Hey," Hazel called again. She grabbed his shoulder. Instinctively, yet casually at the same time, Percy swung Hazel's arm around behind her. She tried to elbow him but he grabbed that to. The boy was barely conscious of his actions he just did. The thing that bought him back to reality was Hazel's cry of, "Percy what are you doing? Get off of me."

Looking down Percy realized what he had done and pushed the girl away. He stared at Haze dumbstruck. The girl massaged her arms, panting, while staring back at him. After a few moments, Hazel asked, emphasizing each word, "What was that?" When he didn't answer she changed tactics. "What was it about that paper that scared you?" Still, Percy stood there, unable to answer. Finally, Hazel pleaded, "I just trust you with something I've shown no one else, can you trust me?" Percy thought he could trust her, but he didn't want her sister's words to scare her off. Unfortunately however she then said, "Let's start simple, what was on that paper?"

Percy shook his head. "I can't tell you."

"Sure you can. It can't be that bad," Hazel chuckled, "Seriously, Katie wrote a lot of things but whatever she just wrote couldn't have been that bad."

"Oh yes it could," Percy informed her. _That girl in the grove was right_ he thought _I am a Seaweed Brain._ Why hadn't he shown her those words in the tent? Maybe it would be better if she stayed away. Particularly after . . .

Hazel straightened. "Fine," she said like the soldier Percy saw she was, "be that way. I'll tell Lupa you aren't meant to go on this quest. Then I will never speak to you again."

Percy had to choose and choose quickly. Friendship, something he knew was important to him deep in his heart, and the possibility of warding her away himself. After a moment he made his decision. Taking a breathe he told her, "The paper," he gulped. He continued, "the paper said 'Beware the son of Neptune, for from him you shall not only lose your heart but,'" Percy paused remembering those words. The memory of those words was terrible. "'but,'" he wasn't sure if he could, but pushed on, "' but for a friend he would let the world end.'"

Those next few moments were like years. Percy watched as Hazel's face changed from one expression to another. Percy wished he could read them, but did not understand much. He thought she was trying to puzzle through it. Then Hazel laughed. She laughed so hard Percy thought she had gone mad. When Hazel finally stopped and caught her breathe she informed Percy, "Your forgetting that my sister was insane. I have no sense that these words will come true." Percy had no clue what she was talking about. His expression apparently showed it because next Hazel said, "Even when I don't make prophecies, an Oracle has a sense of what's to come. I have no sense of these words coming true. In fact I have a strong sense they won't." With a sigh she said, "Let's just go to the Gathering." Hazel held out a hand. Percy hesitated then Hazel explained, "You don't need to get lost again and I really don't feel like going through you attacking me again. I swear your reflexes are better than Jason's."

That puzzled Percy. "Who's Jason?"

The gathering was crowded, the pizza okay. After giving his share to the gods, Percy ate his share. Soon, he found himself wishing for Brooklyn pizza. He didn't even remember having Brooklyn pizza. The soda was okay, though for some reason he asked for his Coke to turn blue. Even stranger, it did. Turn blue that is.

As for the kids, they ate quickly, quietly, and efficiently. They were allowed to talk, but any fooling around was stopped with a threatening nip from the wolves. In fact most kids ate without making any noise at all, a feat Percy couldn't believe possible, if he hadn't seen it with his own eyes. Honestly, it seemed like none of these kids knew how to have fun. That was until he looked over at the Mercury kids, they were throwing food, mock beating each other up, and mocking one another. The wolves seemed to ignore them, apparently knowing it was a hopeless case to stop them.

Percy himself sat alone at a wooden table. On both sides of his table were empty tables, identical to his. There seemed to be no difference to Percy, but some kids kept looking at one of them like someone would just appear. Now he knew why though. That was where the kid Jason, son of Jupiter, had sat. They were looking for their leader, the leader they were forbidden to look for. Percy wondered if anyone wanted to look for him that badly. He wondered if they were allowed to do so. There were thirteen other tables in a circle around a large red and gold bonfire. Hazel's table was on the other side of the fire, crowded with her siblings. Reyna's table was much closer, only four tables away, filled to the brim with hard looking warriors.

When everyone was done eating, the wolves pushed the tables away and the kids started to pull their benches toward the fire. Percy followed their lead unsure of how this would turn out. He saw Hazel disappear, but he wasn't sure where to. There was some chatter, but it was stopped when the wolves started to howl. It went on for ten minutes he thought. But it felt like ten hours. A chorus of that menacing sound, eerily filling the forest with it's music. The noise bounced off the trees sending chills down Percy's spine. When the noise stopped the Gathering, Lupa stepped on to a large rock Percy could swear hadn't been there before. All of the other demigods stood and saluted her then simultaneously sat back down. This was wrong, he knew it in his bones. He didn't belong here. The others, Hazel and Reyna, absolutely belonged there, but he absolutely didn't. The feeling was finalized when Lupa announced with a menacing growl, "Welcome to all trainees, there is much to discuss. So," she looked around at them all a blood thirsty glow in the back of her eyes, "Let the Gathering begin."

There was a great roar as the warriors stamped their feet in appreciation. Percy looked around, seeing the same vicious gleam in their eyes. When it stopped Lupa continued, "I realize many of the camps here have things to say, but first our Oracle has a prophecy that we must discuss then the preparations for a quest must be taken under way." A murmur rushed through the crowd of children and teens. A prophecy, it seemed, was rare. Percy sank into his seat, he didn't want to be pulled into the spotlight. Then, from the darkness behind Lupa's large rock came Hazel, guitar in hand, and Percy knew it was going to get a lot worse.


	18. Chapter 18

Hello! I've tried abandoning my Dan Brown style writing(short chapters) and have written one that extends to three pages. I am sure over time I will get better at this, but I warn you I wrote this with an extreme writers block and I read it over, but tell me if there are any inconsistencies. Also, if you are a hippy and I offend you I am sorry. Enjoy!

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Chapter 18

Percy

When Hazel was done preforming the prophecy there was a great silence. Percy looked around All of the demigod's muscles were tensed as Hazel put her guitar to the side and faced them all. Percy waited for the warriors to pounce. He knew they would at some point and Hazel was definitely an easy target. Daughter of Apollo she may be, but public speaker she obviously wasn't. "Um, hi guys," a growl emerged from the kids throats, or Percy thought one did. Either Hazel didn't hear it or ignored it. Percy would bet on the latter. "Well, uh, I think this has something to do with the prophecy Kate made before she died. You know, the Great Prophecy: Seven half-bloods shall answer the call, By storm or fire the Earth must fall . . ."

"An oath to keep with a final breath/ And foes bear arms to the Doors of Death," Percy finished looking at the ground. Now how could he remember that and not his life?

He was trying to focus, to remember, when someone called out, "What did he say?" Percy looked up. Evidently he had said the words louder than he thought he had. He looked around only to find that everyone was staring at him. His eyes finally landed on Lupa. The wolf was looking at him coolly, as though a theory had just been confirmed.

After a moment the wolf answered the kid's question, "He finished the prophecy in Greek."

"In Greek?" It was the kid who called out before. He was now standing on a bench that belonged to the Vulcan camp. Now that he was standing Percy could see that the boy was of average height and well muscled. His hair was a wavy light brown and his eyes a matching color. At that moment, he looked extremely angry. "And he just got here. How would he know the Prophecy?" Now Percy knew who all the demigods would pounce on. He found his hand slipping into his pocket and around a pen.

"Bobby," a girl with flaming red hair called out. She had fair skin, green eyes, freckles, and clean cut features, obviously Irish. She was standing on the Minerva bench, surrounded by kids with blonde hair and gray eyes. What was with that? "Stop Bobby," she shouted, "the last time you accused a new kid he . . ."

". . . was killed I know," Bobby told her, "but you didn't see this one earlier, he knew how to fight. He can defend himself. He can prove he belongs here."

"Bobby please," the girl begged.

"Shut up Gwendolyn." There was a long silence as the two stared at each other. Percy wondered what was going on there. Finally, Bobby looked away from Gwendolyn and she turned on her heel to storm off away from the gathering. Bobby turned back to face Lupa. "With your permission I challenge the newbie."

The wolf considered then said, "You may challenge the son of Neptune after we discuss the prophecy. Then a formal challenge must be laid down, but only after we discuss it, there are things you must hear." The boy bowed but stayed standing. Lupa nodded toward Hazel.

It took Hazel a moment to get her bearings. Then she stated shyly, "It's pretty obvious the prophet is well, uh, me and we think her lost love is well uh," she turned her head away. Percy could see her cheeks becoming red. "We think her lost love is well, um,"

"Who is it already?" called out one of the Minerva kids.

"It's well," she looked at Percy, "it's Percy, the newbie." Once again all the trainees looked at him. Still Hazel pushed onward. "We think the warrior is Reyna. Are there any objections?" The kids now all looked at her again. When nobody spoke out against it, Hazel nodded and turned to Lupa.

"Fine," the she-wolf stated, then announced, "Percy, Hazel, and Reyna leave in the morning, where they go is a mystery, but it is necessary for I fear this is more than a rescue mission for a girl. Now," the wolf turned to Bobby, "Would you like to challenge the son of Neptune?"

"Yes," Bobby responded. He then proceeded to salute the wolf and turned to face Percy. "Percy, son of Neptune," he declared, "I Robert, son of Vulcan, challenge you to a duel." Percy couldn't believe it. How corny could you get? He felt like saying dude catch up here, it's the twenty-first century, people don't talk like that anymore. But he didn't say it, for the sake of the guy's pride because he'd just gotten humiliated by a girl in public. The kid needed some dignity. Bobby continued, "If I win the duel it will be proven you're a spy and shall face the consequences. If you win, then the gods are in your favor then you aren't a spy and are worthy of being in this camp. Do you accept?"

"Yes, I accept," Percy told him, voice cold. He pulled out his pen and uncapped it. The bronze blade grew out of it. "Let's duel here and now before I leave in the morning." After a look at Lupa Bobby nodded. Another boy came out and handed Bobby a gold curved blade. The boy turned and saluted Percy, who with a nod from Lupa, did the same. Both boys then got in the ready position. At a wolf's howl, Bobby came in with a complex series of chopping swings. Percy blocked them all with ease, he didn't know how he did it, but he did. He decided to just keep up a defense, lure Bobby into a sense of security. In the meantime, Bobby started to taunt him.

"You are as much a son of Neptune as Gwen back there," he started, continuing to come at Percy, "And well Gwen, she's not that skilled, but a lovely personality. I bet you don't even have a personality."

"Oh," Percy said, "and yours must be so much better."

"Come on," Bobby mocked, "Your probably not even a demigod let alone a child of the Big Three." The boy bought his hilt down and would have sliced Percy in half if Neptune's son didn't bring up his blade and catch it on the hilt of Bobby's. Bronze met with gold in a position Percy could not name but knew was rare. Bobby leaned in and panted, "Prove it."

That flipped a switch in Percy. He twisted his sword causing Bobby's blade to go flying. A pulling sensation filled Percy's stomach. From a stream nearby a funnel of water erupted, twisting as it grew higher and higher through the trees. Bobby turned to look at it and Percy kicked him dead center in the chest. The son of Hephaestus fell to the ground with a thud. It was then that the funnel bent over and dropped right onto Bobby, drenching him in the stream's water. Every drop of water in that funnel landed on Bobby, no one else. When there was no more water, Bobby sat up and coughed up some that had landed in his mouth. When he was done, Percy held out a hand to Bobby who after a moment grabbed it.

"So," Percy said, "I'm not a son of Neptune?" Bobby nodded grimly as Percy pulled him up. Then both went back to their benches and sat, but all eyes were on Percy.

The minute Percy's head hit the pillow he was asleep and dreaming. Dreaming of the blonde girl from the prophecy. The girl trapped in mud. Mud, the thing that also seemed to create her captor, who looked like one of those Native American chicks you find in hippy stores. Only the woman was wearing an earthy purple dress, her hair was hanging loose unadorned, and she seemed to be sleeping instead of wearing the stereotypical hippy flower dress and headband while being in a stoned state.

As soon as Percy appeared, the Earth-lady smiled. He thought it would have been creepy if her eyes were open, but it was made even creepier by the fact that they were closed. Then the woman greeted, "Hello Percy how nice to finally meet you?"

"Percy!" yelled the girl. He turned away from the Earth Lady and looked toward her. Staring into her dark gray eyes, Percy felt a deep need to save her. "Percy," she called a bit more softly. It seemed as if she felt safer with him present. Then again . . .

"Your the girl from the prophecy," he said, trying to remember and failing epically, "the one who said I'm her love that is lost." He looked at her again. "Who's daughter are you?"

"I'm Athena's seaweed brain," she consoled. For a moment she seemed to be considering something. A strategy Percy thought, but a strategy for what? Then the girl smiled. "It's great to see you. Everyone's out looking for you. Grover sent the satyrs, Thalia and the hunters are traveling the countryside, Nico, and of course most of the cabin heads."

Percy blinked. Grover? Thalia? Nico? Cabin heads? Who were these people? He posed the question out loud and the girl looked away then looked back at him, eyes sad. "Don't you remember Percy? Anything." He shook his head. Anger filled her eyes, "A thousand curses on Hera first the cow poop . . ."

"Cow poop?"

"Yes, the cow poop," the girl said sharply, "now this. Your name is . . ." The Dirt Lady made a sharp hand gesture. The girl screamed a blood curling scream. Percy wanted to run to her, to save her, but he couldn't move. Just as the screams stopped another set came and . . .

Percy was in a forest. It was different than the forest surrounding the Academy. The trees were more open, more welcoming. In their midst stood a centaur, an old one that Percy recognized. A centaur wearing a Party Ponies t-shirt "Chiron," he said.

"Yes Percy, it is I," his voice and manner were grave.

"Where is this place?" Percy asked then looked around again. In the distance was a gold shimmer which made him rephrase his question, "What is this place?"

"It is your home," Chiron informed him, "That is all I can tell you. You will find it again when the time is right."

Percy stopped looking at his surroundings and looked at the centaur full in the face. "When the time is right," he said. Chiron nodded. "And when will this be?" Percy demanded.

"I can not say," the centaur stated.

"Of course you can't." Percy was getting annoyed. "Well then can you tell me this. Who am I? Who is this blonde chick they keep telling me I need to save? Who's the Dirt Lady who's holding her prisoner? What is with Hera and messing with me?"

"I am sorry Jackson," Chiron told him in a voice filled with sorrow, "I am forbidden to say, but you shall find out soon enough." Percy was about to tell the centaur that his name wasn't Jackson when he woke up on a cot in a canvas tent.


	19. Chapter 19

Okay, I've changed to what I'm comfortable with, but I have a life. Of course it's one that is slowly being consumed by a play that takes 4 hours to rehearse. This is what keeps me sane(which is funny cause my character's insane) and is nice to go to after being told my writing sucks by my english teacher etc. etc. etc. So I thank you for keeping my spirits up and hope you enjoy this rather detailed and adventurous chapter.

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Chapter 19

Annabeth

The pain burned through her body with such a fire that Annabeth couldn't help but scream. It was worse then getting hit with a thousand copies of that poisoned knife she had taken for Percy that summer. More painful than holding up the sky. More painful then talking to Percy and having him not remember her.

Then the pain stopped suddenly. Annabeth blinked back tears then looked around. Percy was gone. Gaea on the other hand was still there. Still there and cackling her head off. When the Earthen woman was done she looked at Annabeth and grinned a mocking grin, "So how was the reunion? Fun? Oh no that was for me." Annabeth glared at her. "Now don't give me that honey," Gaea reprimanded, "You have to respect your elders and not show them that you hate them just be polite. And trust me honey, I'm very much your elder." Annabeth then did something completely unlike herself and spit on the ground in front of Gaea. The Earthen woman screamed and waved her hand. A burst of pain went through Annabeth once more and she mercifully passed out.

For a while, all Annabeth saw was black. She was swimming in the darkness. Surrounding her were noises, terrible noises, of monsters and humanoids being tortured. Screams filled the air. If that wasn't bad enough, the darkness was growing heavier, making it hard for Annabeth to breathe. Lights started to appear, getting closer and closer to her. This could only be one place, Tartarus. Annabeth tried to move, to get out of the giant hole, but the darkness was so heavy. She couldn't breathe. Slowly, ever so slowly, she was suffocating her breathes growing shallower by the minute. Then she remembered something, an ally from some distant dream. Struggling Annabeth managed to whisper, "Hypnos, help me." As she struggled to breathe, darkness entered her mouth, its evil and hopelessness entering her body like a disease. It was taking control muscle by muscle, nerve by nerve, second by second. Annabeth fought the infection, used all her will in determination to fight it, but it seemed as though her stores of those had left her with her air. The fires were getting closer by the minute. Annabeth could see those who bore the fires now. They were creatures never mentioned in myths and legends. If they were, it was one that was long lost. They looked as though they were monsters that came together in the pits of tartarus in the wrong way. Some had a horn on one side of their head while the other had a flat snake ear. Some had patches of fur mixed with gills and others feathers mixed with scales. They were no real or mythical creature precisely, but instead a mixture of many of them. _Hypnos_ Annabeth called as the creatures closed ranks.

"Another spirit to torture?" inquired one that was some cross between minotaur, fish, and parrot.

"Yes," answered a cat/dog/chameleon. Her chameleon parts mixed with the surroundings behind her, leaving the impression that she was only partly there literally. "This one was sent by _her_."

"Ahh," the trout bull bird man commented, thinking. After a few moments he straightened and started to say, " Welcome to the land of misfit toys my pretty. We'll start by . . ." when the world spun around Annabeth, going faster and faster and faster until finally it stopped and everything was still. Absolutely still.

Annabeth blinked and looked around. She was in Hypnos's room again. She could breathe. In great gulps, she took in the air. It tasted of warm milk, honey, and lavender. The god of sleep was standing in front of her. His hands were were on his hips, "You had to wake me from my nap." He was trying to sound angry, but the act was ruined by a huge yawn Hypnos had after saying that. Annabeth glared at him.

"You took a while," Annabeth retorted, "What would have happened if they had my spirit to torture? How would you have gotten me then?"

"Let's be thankful they didn't," Hypnos said shuddering. He walked over to the roaring fireplace and got a cup. He walked it back to her. It was some kind of herbal tea. Annabeth took a whiff and nearly fell down. The amount of herbs in it was dizzying.

"Where did you get this?" she asked shocked. Then demanded, "What is it?"

"Oh only a concoction Apollo made for me," Hypnos explained. "I often drift to the place you just went to in your sleep. This helps with such encounters."

"But this is a potion for gods," Annabeth stammered, "I don't want to get burned to ash or mely or . . ."

"Which is why I altered it a bit to make it safe for mortals," Hypnos soothed. He yawned then leaned down and held her nose. "Now drink." Looking into his sleepy, yet deep, brown eyes Annabeth drank the contents of the cup. How could she even do that in her sleep? How could she sleep, yet drink and feel the warmth grow inside her insubstantial body? Feel the darkness leave her? These were questions she had forbidden herself to ask, yet the potion seemed to open her mind to them. "Now," Hypnos said looking her in the eyes. She was so drowsy, but she couldn't sleep in a dream, yet the god's next words were, "Sleep daughter of Athena, sleep and let the darkness float away. Her eyes closed and she slept while sleeping.

She was in a forest. It was familiar to Annabeth, but not like Camp Half Blood was. Red firs surrounded her, large and foreboding. Then she put her finger on it. Last winter, her father had taken her on a November weekend camping trip. They had gone to the forest surrounding San Francisco. Of course as soon as they got their, monsters had been on them like bees on honey. Annabeth had gotten them out alive, but barely. Her father had broken a leg, but, being the good sport he was, said he was not too bad for an old history geek and should work on his reflexes. That had made Annabeth laugh. While she was remembering this, someone had entered her part of the forest.

He had black hair that went to his shoulders made all the darker by the white streak in it. His eyes were a deep sea green and muscles hardened. Health was gleaming off him like light off a beacon. His face was scrunched up in a pained expression, but you could see the laugh lines on his face. Yet, Annabeth knew there was so much more to him. He wasn't the brightest but at times he was brilliant. He was an amazing leader and fighter, a good and loyal friend. He was the bravest person she ever knew. His name was Percy Jackson.

Percy started to pace through the tightly packed trees. Annabeth ran closer and heard him chanting names she had given him, as though the constant chanting of them would bring the memories back. "Thalia, Grover, Nico, Thalia, Grover, Nico." Annabeth knew it would do no good, but he at least had something to tie him to his past. After a few minutes, the chant began to change, "Thalia, entrance. No. Nico, entrance. No. Grover, entrance. Yes, come on getting somewhere. Grover, entrance, Grover, entrance, Grover, entrance, Grover, entrance. . ."

"What are you doing?" the voice was that of a tricky predator, silky smooth with an edge of something dangerous in the background. It was a wolf, with silky blue-sliver fur that shone in the rays of weak morning sunlight that leaked through the tree branched. Percy jumped at the sound of its voice, but when he turned and saw the wolf he sat on a nearby rock.

"I'm trying to remember," Percy told the wolf staring into the distance. "Trying to remember who people were my friends, family, anyone. It's like someone came and empties out my brain."

"Gods will do that," the wolf commented. Percy gave the wolf a look. "I was there when Juno spoke to you," the wolf explained.

Percy glared at the wolf. "What's your name anyway? Reyna said that you're all heroes Lupa wanted to keep with her."

"My name's Rhea Silvia," the wolf said.

"And who's your godly parent?"

"Aphrodite," the wolf replied. Then Annabeth knew they were in trouble. That wolf wasn't who she said she was, not at all.


	20. Chapter 20

Now, sorry this took so long. The school play is coming up and I'm in it. This week you may or may not get chapters because well, it's Tech Week(for those who aren't part of 'That crowd that theater crowd'(Reinfield) that's pretty much the week before thte show that they put everything together) but it doesn't start til late afternoon so who knows. I mean time is only just out of reach down the block on a beach under a tree. Oh great, now I'm quoting West Side Story. Please ignore my corniness, I'm in the middle of some mood swings at the moment(was that as obvious as it sounded?). Anyway, enjoy the chapter, and in case some of you are wondering the only reason I put Rhea Silvia in here is because I am going to name one of my kids after her and she's one of the least explored characters in Roman Mythology. Just google Romulus and Remus you'll find her I think. Well, enjoy!

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Chapter 20

Annabeth

Many possibilities rolled around in Annabeth's brain. She tried to line them up with Gaea's strategy. Probably more accurately put, which was more likely to get Percy killed: Titan mother who managed to save her children from her evil husband or the priestess who bore the children of Mars and was then thrown in jail. Either one was highly likely considering that a Titan would bring considerable power to Gaea's side and Gaea like to bring dead people back. Yet, which mother would be more hateful and dangerous to Percy? All she could do was watch for clues as to what the wolf wanted.

A bewildered look had been on Percy's face while Annabeth thought this through. Finally, he seemed to be able to form a question. "If you're Aphrodite here, then wouldn't you be Flytrap or something like that?" Annabeth laughed. Only Percy would confuse Aphrodite's alternate name with the carnivorous flower. Thank goodness she was dreaming or she wouldn't be able to savor this moment. The wolf's next words snapped Annabeth back to attention.

"It's Venus and that is my mother's real name. I just didn't want to confuse you, I hear you're often confused." The wolf gave a predatory, yet seductive, chuckle and gave an amused smile. It seemed as though Percy's confusion were some old joke she and her friends discussed on Saturday nights. For once it seemed that outside of a fight Annabeth and Percy were on the same brain wave, because Percy next asked the same question Annabeth wanted to.

"Where'd you hear that?"

"No where special," the wolf stated too quickly for Annabeth's taste. Even less toward Annabeth's peace of mind was the fact that the wolf started circling Percy like he was something good to eat. Worse was that Percy didn't notice, he just stared into the distance. On his face was a look Annabeth or anyone rarely saw on the boys face. It was one of deep thought. She wished Rachel were there to catch the moment in one of her drawings, but she wasn't. His face was wrinkled in concentration, eyes focused on some far away image. Rhea took advantage of this situation and inquired, "What do you remember?"

"I mostly remember names," he said in a lost voice, as though he were in a trance. "Names and stories. I remember what things are, like a house or a movie or a skyscraper, but not how I know them. Not how I experienced them or felt about them. Everyone keeps saying these names but I can't see the faces. I can't put the names with places, can't remember the parts that added up to my life or my personality or anything. Only thing I do remember are gods's stupid names and stories about what they did to people. I remember how to fight, but not the name of the moves. And the only thing I have connecting me to my past, my memories, is that blonde girl, the names she said, and this. Percy fingered the bead necklace at his neck. Annabeth saw his five beads roll around and wondered what he thought they meant.

"Yes, gods have a tendency of doing that," the wolf commented, "Emptying the brain like a bowl of water then putting what they wish to back in. My namesake is the reason gods could do so much. The reason they could rape an innocent priestess. The reason they aren't still sitting in their father's bellies." Okay, definitely not the Titan. Guess, it was Rhea Silvia. Seemed she had some grudges against the gods. A blood thirsty look that made the hairs on the back of Annabeth's neck stand on end had filled the wolfs eyes and she kept close to the ground, belly flat. For a moment Annabeth thought Rhea would pounce, but then the rage seemed to leave the wolf. Yet, some madness still lingered behind the eyes, just more suppressed. Rhea said in an alluring voice, " Can you remember the Labyrinth?"

"The what?"

"The Labyrinth." Percy shook his head. Annabeth was now worried. Something was wrong, Rhea Silvia had no powers, yet Percy seemed to be hypnotized. In a trance, under the wolf's control. But Rhea Silvia was a normal mortal, just a powerless mortal. How did she get such powers? Gaea? "Follow me Percy," the wolf called in a soft whispery voice, "follow and I will start your quest." Percy followed the wolf deeper into the woods forcing Annabeth to follow as well. At least in this dream she didn't get exhausted. They seemed to be walking in a large oval around something, probably the Roman camp. Annabeth looked to her left and saw mountains. In looking to her right however, Annabeth found that there were multi-colored flames in the distance. She could see them through the cracks in the trees.

These forests were different then the ones at Camp Half-Blood. Those were creepy, yet inviting and friendly at the same time. Yet these were just creepy and, well, foreboding. The longer she walked in them, the more uneasy Annabeth got, and the wolf led Percy a long distance. In fact they had walked almost a half a mile before the wolf stopped. Percy stopped as well, that dreamy yet thoughtful look still on his face.

"Now," the wolf said turning to face Percy. "Go to that tree," she nodded to a abnormally large trunk, "and put your hand flat on the center." Percy did as Rhea told him. Then several things happened at once. Rhea disappeared into thin air. A gaping hole appeared in the tree trunk and Percy seemed to snap out of his trance. Several birds with woman heads came flying in, landing in a circle around Percy. Annabeth screamed at Percy to run in a high pitched, pain filled voice that she never used. Harpies, Percy was invincible, but Harpies! They might actually hit him in the small of his back. As she screamed like a maniac the world seemed to rush around her forwards, backwards, sideways, in circles. If she hadn't been sleeping, she would've puked.

When she opened her eyes Gaea was leaning in, smelling grossly of dirt and dead things. The woman's eyelids were a very unnerving sight to wake up to. Annabeth struggled, not knowing that she was begging to be let go, begging to be able to go help Percy. Gaea just held the girl down, a wicked smile growing on her face. "So," the vile creature said, "You don't like my little birdie friends?"


	21. Chapter 21

Hello again! Sorry I haven't been writing this week, but again tech week. Not only was I up til 11 o'clock every night working on the show, but afterward it took me an hour to get all of the crud they put in my hair out(you really don't want to know). Since this is my first time on a computer this week please tell me if there are inconstancies. Thanks and enjoy!

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Chapter 21

Reyna

When Reyna woke in the morning, her nerves were on end. She had a quest to go on, something to do. The night before she had packed her satchel which was now almost customary for quests. She had used the bag on her first quest when she was ten. It had been easy, all she'd had to do was kill some ancient pig her father wanted dead. It wasn't even a mythological one, it had just so happened to run over her father's favorite collection of of spears, broke them all into splinters. Mars had had an easy enough time fixing them, he had just wanted revenge on the boar that did it. So off she had gone proud to be on her first quest. The quest had gone well and ever since she used that very same pack to go on any quest she went on. It was a dull brown, the stitching worn, and magically enlarged by some forgotten spell. Reyna had found it lying in the storage tent and taken it. By now it had more rips than it had when she had first picked it up and she had clumsily stitched it together. Jason had always laughed to see her trying to mend the cloth. Katie had helped of course, that girl had seemed to be good at everything.

Anyway, the satchel was packed with some nectar, ambrosia, money, weapons, a few books on monsters just in case, some mortal and immortal money, and spare clothes. Hazel was coming so no healing potions or salves needed to be put in. Only thing Reyna was worried about with Hazel coming along was the fact that she would probably bring her guitar. That would be troubling. Another worry was where they were heading. Something about the prophecy was hinting at it: _H__e keeps father from embracing the mother for if they do the world comes undone. _It sounded familiar but Reyna couldn't put her finger on it. Otherwise she had no clue.

She was absorbed in these thoughts as she put on the belt that held her gladius, which otherwise doubled as the only safe cell phone for demigods to use. Then swinging the satchel over her shoulder, Reyna left her tent and walked toward Hazel's tent. Loverboy Percy could wait. Hazel would need help consolidating what she packed. The girl liked to be prepared for everything, and that literally meant _everything_. For example, when Reyna first walked in the girl's tent, Apollo's daughter was holding two bottles and muttering to herself, "Are we more likely to be burned by fire or acid? Not sure, better bring both." Carefully she but the bottles in a large box that was almost full. Reyna looked inside and gave an exasperated sigh. Hazel jumped about five feet in the air not having notice that Reyna had walked in. About thirty bottles were in the box along with five rolls of bandages, a few splints, a needle and thread for stitches, cotton balls, and some small operational tools.

"We're not going to war with five hundred fighters Hazel," Reyna informed her friend with a chuckle.

"We might as well," Hazel retorted, "Honestly at least in battle we know what to prepare for. On a quest though you never know what you'll run into so you pretty much should prepare for everything." Reyna just laughed. "And don't be mad at me for packing so much," Hazel continued putting the rest of her medical instruments in the box and shutting it, "I had one of the Parcae kids give all my belongings the ability to do this." Hazel snapped her fingers. The box shrank to the size of what was the size of a charm for charm bracelet. Hazel put it on a bracelet that Reyna recognized as Katie's.

"Where'd you get that?" Reyna asked. Katie had been burned to a crisp so where had the bracelet come from? Hazel looked at the bracelet and some emotion passed over her face. Then another and another until finally her face set in an emotionless mask. The girl looked up at Reyna.

In a monotone the girl said, "Katie gave it to me before . . ." The mask flickered and such mishmosh of expressions seemed to fight for control over Hazel's face. Once again she gained control of it then she continued, "Before she died." Reyna nodded understanding. The poor girl to lose her sister then have her father curse her. Reyna of course had to pretend to disapprove of it, but seeing the damage Reyna knew that Hazel had no chance of saving her sister. Though they all wished Katie was still there, Reyna knew Hazel was more necessary. She had saved more lives than there were things saved on quests.

Hazel had gone to get the rest of her stuff. When she came up she had her guitar. "Hazel you are not bringing that. There is no . . ." She stopped saying how it was too bulky to travel with as the guitar shrank like the box had. Reyna rolled her eyes which Hazel apparently saw.

"Hey," the girl said indignantly, "_And song unite us all, _we may actually need it."

"Yeah," Reyna sighed, "but unite who?"

Hazel muttered something. Reyna was about to ask what she had said when the tent flap was pushed open. In came Dakota, a rather distracted son of Bacchus who was on the patrol this morning, came running in. Coming to a sort stop, he informed her in between gasped breaths, "Commander . . . Harpies in the forest . . ."

"And?" Reyna asked. There were always harpies in the forest, why should this concern her?

" . . . And the new kid . . . the son of Neptune . . . was walking where they . . . were spotted," Dakota continued. With that Reyna jumped to her feet and got her weapons. Hazel had just walked in from the medical tent where she had gone at some unknown point in time with a can of soda. Only Reyna and Jason knew that Hazel mixed ambrosia with that drink. This way no one would think to filch it and they could be sure no one would burn up from drinking too much. The cokes only had a drop after all. Nodding to Hazel, Reyna ran out of the tent and toward the forest. She could see where the Harpies were swarming and ran toward it. She prayed to the gods that they weren't attacking the new kid. He was a good fighter but it wasn't like he was invincible or anything like that.

Reyna tore through the camp. Everyone was going about their daily business ignoring the winged women. These types of things happened all the time. No one knew a quester was in the forest or that Reyna had a feeling he was vital to the quest. Upon reaching the forest Reyna sped up since there were no people blocking her. Periodically she looked up, making sure she was heading in the right direction. The cloud of Harpies seemed to be thinning, something Reyna had never seen without bloodshed. She was getting closer, praying to any god who would listen the idiot boy wasn't dead. Pulling out her gladius she turned to the clearing where the Harpies were attacking and blanched.

There was Percy, brandishing his sword like it was a part of him, just another limb. He was amazing to watch, taking out several Harpies with each stroke, as though he were some sort of Harpy killing machine. It seemed as though it were raining the dust that the Harpies became when destroyed and a thin layer of it was covering the forest's undergrowth. Reyna just watched amazed. Finally, it seemed that there were no more Harpies for him to kill. Percy looked around dazed. After a few moments his eyes landed on an awed Reyna. Sword still in hand he walked over to her and asked as though they were in a grocery store and he wanted to know how much something cost, "What were those things?"


	22. Chapter 22

Hello! Sorry haven't updated the past week, I started this at the beginning of the week and then took a journey to the rare and mysterious land without internet. Otherwise known as going over a river and through the woods to, say it with me . . .grandmother's house we go! Okay, enough of that. Here's the next Chapter. If I have time they'll be another one tommorow. Enjoy!

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Chapter 22

Reyna

She couldn't believe it. The new kid who had no recollection of his past life could take on hundreds of harpies by himself. How was this possible? No one, _no one_, survived Harpies attacks on their own and that included herself. To hide her confusion, Reyna gasped for air. Taking in the wreckage Reyna noted that all kills had been clean and efficient. Also, there was something else, something odd, something out of the norm more than the rest of this . . . she just needed to put her finger on it . . . there was no blood on the talons. No blood, looking back at Percy Reyna took note that there were no scratches on him. The only way that could happen was if . . .

"You are invincible," Reyna finally realized out loud.

"Huh?" Percy looked at her as though she had suddenly become a beast with multiple heads and he wasn't sure which to listen to. Reyna knew she was right from the moment she said it. Now just to get him to see this part of who he was . . .

"You're invincible," she repeated then explained while gesturing to the carnage around them, "These are harpies, half birds and half woman. They attack in swarms like bees and love the flesh of half-bloods second only to that of the gods'. Normally it takes a group of at least five to fight them off. In some rare cases if the people are really good it takes two." She tried to not think of her and Jason as she said this then carried on in terms she thought he'd understand, "But never one person. The only way that could happen is if someone took a dip in the river Styx."

"Like Achilles?" Percy inquired raising an eyebrow, but looking less confused.

"Exactly like Achilles," Reyna nodded looking him over with a judging eye. Someone who was invincible would be good for the Legion, but not unless they were sure he wasn't a part of something dangerous. The boy seemed to be struggling for something, as though he might grab at some memory. By the look of it however, it must have been like catching smoke, impossible yet one couldn't help but try at least. Finally he stopped and looked up at her.

"The small of my back," he stated as though he'd gained some knowledge, "The small of my back, connecting me to . . . to I can't remember." He sighed and looked at the ground. Reyna was disappointed to. They'd had a key to his past, yet he didn't know the keyhole to put it in. Her best guess was that the small of his back was his Achilles' heel, but didn't feel like asking. If it was, Reyna thought t would be impolite to ask and bad to be sure of. It was his secret, if she didn't ask it wouldn't be her duty to tell anyone. Anyway, he probably didn't remember if it was. As he struggled to remember whatever the small of his back connected him to Reyna looked around. The forest at least had taken very little damage from the battle except . . . there was a gaping hole in the center of one of the biggest trees.

"What the . . ." she started, but was interrupted by a small voice from behind her.

"An entrance, a traitor, one with clear sight," it came across the clearing like a breeze. Looking around Reyna saw Hazel coming toward her and Percy. The girl was holding Reyna's pack and had to have run here yet hadn't even broke into a sweat. That was the annoying thing about Apollo's kids not only could they shoot well and heal, but most had better stamina than the rest of the demigods. Hazel was also known for being quiet which was why Reyna wasn't that surprised about her being there. Percy on the other hand gaped at her.

"When did you get here?" he asked his mouth hanging open.

"Look out that might catch flies," Hazel told him. He only then seemed to realize how dumb he looked and hurried to close his mouth. The prophetess then turned to Reyna and pointed toward the tree, "We're supposed to go through there. I know it." Reyna nodded then turned to Percy.

"Ready to go?"

"Uh," the boy looked unsure, "I don't have any stuff . . ."

"I got it here," Hazel said pointing to her bracelet. The look Percy then gave Hazel was so pricelessly confused that it took all of Reyna's self control not to laugh out loud. Apollo's daughter sighed walking toward the entrance. She gripped the edges of it and looked back at Percy, "Trust me I got you covered." The girl then proceeded to jump into the hole. Percy looked back at Reyna and after a second shrugged and jumped in. Since she had no other choice, Reyna followed.

Walking to the hole, Reyna prayed that Hazel was right about this and jumped in. She landed in something squishy and a disgusting smell like decaying flesh filled her nostrils to the brim with its disgusting odor. A fog was rising around her off of green goo like that of a swamps. Vines were anging of the walls. Walls? They were in a corridor. She could see and hear the indistinct figures she knew were Percy and Hazel up ahead.

"Hazel?"

"I'm here."

"I'm loving this quest. I've always wanted to go a layer deep in muck in the middle of . . ." The figure stiffened. "Get out," he said.

"What?" Hazel demanded.

"We need to get out of here before . . ." He grabbed Hazel's hand and ran toward the entrance. Reyna also turned toward the exit only to see it close. Reyna turned toward Percy. His look was one of horror as he stared at where the door had been. Hazel on the other hand was trying to yank her hand out of his.

"Percy let go," she cried. Reyna knew she would've kicked him if it hadn't been for the foot of muck around her feet. Reyna went up to Percy and put her hands on his shoulders. She then literally shook him out of his terrified trance.

"What is it?" she demanded, "Why do we have to leave?"

"Because," Percy said looking at her, "The is supposed to have been destroyed when he died, supposed to have . . ."

"What is it?" Reyna asked firmly giving him another hard shake. She was now getting frightened. The kid had to have some courage, he had actually died into the River Styx, taken on those Harpies, and probably other stuff he couldn't remember. Reyna could tell he wasn't a wimp, yet he was scared of this place. What was it?

He seemed to gain some control over himself. "This is the Labyrinth."

"The what?"

The voice that spoke next was unexpected. It was a girl's voice full of life and humor that came from Hazel, "It's the Minotaur's Maze, Percy, it is also your path home." Hazel then collapsed in a heap.


	23. Chapter 23

That is the last time I predict when I can write. I say I can write a chapter one and I get four english projects(three of which have to do with greek myths so it's okay). I'm sorry I have typos, if anything it's my downfall. I once handed in an english paper that said 'finging gidts' that I had been edited by me and other people eleven or twelve times. I blame texting. I'm trying to find time to get a beta reader(time, hahaha, haven't had that in a while). The endings a tad rushed but I'll fix it. I will also soon fix some editions made by certain people on reviews. To a certain fifth grader: I am properly shamed and there is no need to keep pointing out your a fifth grader. Also for those of you who have not heard of certain college traditions I am introducing you to some through a flashback of the Mercury kids. Anyway, thank you Rick Riordan! You made one of my english projects so easy! I had to become Artemis and I barely had to look up anything thanks to you! The only time I regretted my knowledge is when the poor boy behind me went, "What are Gorgons?" and I had to explain that he had to wear snake on his head and talk about how Athena had transformed him from a beautiful maiden into a hideous hag that turns people to stone. Whoa this is a long authors note. I guess I've just been holding it in for you guys. Enjoy! PLease tell me about typos and I'll try to find time to correct them(time, hahaha).

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Chapter 23

Hazel

Up until that moment Hazel had never fully appreciated how much she truly hated being Oracle. Percy had realized something about the place they were in. Apparently he had been there before and it appeared that that experience had been bad. Then he had said something about the place being the Labyrinth, whatever that was. Next thing she knew someone was possessing her or she was channeling them or she wasn't even sure what to call it and Hazel blanked out.

A empty plane surrounded her with a light fog drifting around her ankles. The fog felt wet and cool around her bare feet. Wait a minute, bare feet? Looking down at them, her feet that is, she saw that she was wearing an old red and gold Stola and Palla, which were a style of dress that was worn in Ancient Rome. A Stola was a dress plain dress adorned with a sash called a Palla. Hazel had worn the dress once before when she had gone to the celebration of the Titans' defeat. They had all been ordered to wear formal wear. All the girls had worn Stolas and Pallas while the guys had worn Togas. Afterwards some of the Mercury kids had run around the camp yelling, "Toga! Toga!" much to the wolves annoyance. In fact, they only stopped when the wolves started nipping at their ankles. Then the boys had scattered. The next morning they paid an even dearer price on the training courts when they were exhausted and Reyna in a fighting mood. Hazel had thought they shouldn't have been so harsh on the guys. They were only celebrating, they didn't need that kind of punishment.

Since her train of thought was drifting, Hazel did not hear someone approaching. In fact she didn't notice that someone else was there until a voice behind her greeted, "Hi! You must be the other Oracle." The voice was cheery, yet the cheeriness seemed forced. It was definitely a girl's voice, a girl who had seen things beyond her years.

Turning, Hazel saw it was a curly red headed girl with fair, freckle covered skin. She looked to be about sixteen or seventeen and was wearing a green Chiton that matched her lively emerald eyes. One would have thought the girl was full of energy if it weren't for the dark circles under her eyes that contrasted with her skin which though fair, seemed paler than was healthy by the way her freckles unnaturally stood out. Her gaze was filled with knowledge of years like all of the two Oracles Hazel had meant, yet the knowledge didn't seem to be a burden to her but to be instead a part of her. This was an enigma Hazel had to investigate. So the first thing she asked was the ingenious question, "What?"

The girl laughed. Once she had regained her bearings she said, "Are you the other Oracle? The one from Jason's camp?"

"You know Jason?" Hazel was shocked. Jason hadn't been let out of the camp except when he went on quests. The only person he thought he knew on the outside world was his sister Thalia who hadn't had contact with since he was a baby. How did she know him?

"Sure," the girl said, "Hera put him in our camp."

"Your camp?" This was getting interesting.

"Yeah, the Greek one." Hazel gave her a questioning look. The girl looked shocked. "You don't know?" she asked. Hazel shook her head completely and utterly bewildered. Still the red head continued with her interrrogetion, "But you have Percy?"

Hazel nodded then added, "He just came to the Academy yesterday." The girl nodded and seemed to consider something. After a while Hazel couldn't hold her tongue anymore and demanded, "Who are you?"

The girl looked up startled. "Didn't I say?" When Hazel shook her head the girl stated simply, "I'm Rachel Elizabeth Dare the Oracle of Delphi."

This confused Hazel even more. "But I'm the Oracle," she contradicted then added, "or at least temporarily." Rachel raised an eyebrow quizically. Hazel sighed, "Over the summer there was a war. My sister was the Oracle and I was supposed to protect her. Unfortunately I failed so my father, Apollo, punished me for my acts. Recently I made a prophecy that indirectly stated there would soon be a new Oracle."

Rachel nodded thoughtfully then stated, "I see." After a few moments she continued, "I became Oracle right after the war this summer. Before that the position of Oracle had been cursed for . . . for awhile. When I was given the job I was the first living person to get the position in years. Now I'm not used to it yet but last night when I was sleeping Apollo broke Zues's, or in your case Jupiter's, communication ban and told me I communitcate with you if I went to the Hypnos cabin and took a drink from the pitcher of warm milk after breakfast the next morning and well here I am."

"Here you are," Hazel commented dryly. Then another question sprang from her lips, "Why do you want to talk to me?"

"Because you know how Percy is, where he is, and what he is doing. You may have other insights into what Gaea is planning or at least more information as to her actions. You might know where Annabeth is and why our leaders are disappearing right and left. You might be able to tell me where the other camp is since it hasn't been erased from your memory and you haven't sworn not to tell anyone. You might, just might, be able to explain all the dreams I keep having." Rachel's voice cracked several times during this speech. The last sentence however was the one that scared Hazel most of all.

"Dreams?" she demanded in an incredulous voice. By the sounds of it Rachel might have been having the same dreams as Hazel.

"Yeah," Rachel commented with a shudder. Staring out in the distance she continued, "Dreams where all my friends are killed by other kids in Roman armor."

"In mine the other kids are in Greek," Hazel added quietly. Rachel turned to look at her as she carefully pressed onward, "but then other nights it's so sweet, everyone living in peace and harmony. Monsters not being a problem because there's so many of us and no more war because all the enemies are defeated." Hazel had voiced this mostly looking at her feet now she looked up at Rachel who was once again considering something.

Finally the girl stated the obvious, "We're being warned. Join or die."

"Obviously," Hazel injected, "But by whom? And why?"

Rachel looked at her for the longest time. Those eyes were as worried as Hazel felr yet seemed to peirce her soul. Finally the girl said, "Let's start simply, how's Percy?" As she asked this question, Rachel sat and gestured for Hazel to do the same.

"He's fine, he just doesn't remember anything."

"Same with Jason," Rachel commented Hazel nodded. Problems seemed of muh less importance here, only the gathering of information, at least know that they had settled down to do so. Only a few moments before she would've died to know where exactly Jason was. Now however it barely registered in her head that Jason must be with Rachel. "And I'm going to asume this Annabeth girl you were talking about before has blonde hair, gray eyes, and is missing."

"Yes."

"Well, Percy, another girl, and I are going on a quest to rescue her."

"From whom?"

" We don't know, all we have is the prophecy I made yesterday."

"May I hear it?" Hazel nodded and suddenly found in her hands a guitar. She played it. Rachel once again considered. Hazel understood. When one has a vague knowledge of the future, one always considered. Things always could mean two, three, or sometimes even more things. It's enough to humble anyone. So this pattern continued for what seemed like a long time. One gave information, the other one considered. This went on for what seemed like hours. Until each agreed they would be missed and finally they promised not to speak of it and closed their eyes. Hazel could feel herself floating, falling down a long tunnel until finally she could feel her body. It was time to work.


	24. Chapter 24

Hello again everyone! Sorry I haven't written in a while but first project, then I got to worship the porcelain throne, and was dragged to disney world for the tenth time(the upside being I dragged everyone else to Harry Potter). So here's a new chapter. I haven't read any reviews in a month so if your cussing me off again I'm sorry but the circumstances were not in my control(particularly the stomach flu one). I hope you all had a great holiday and if you stayed in the Northeast A) Hahaha we beat the blizzard out and b) I missed snow and lots of writing time. If most of you can guess the second pivot my story development skills need work and I assure you after this Hazel will stay with the group for a while and not be dragged weird places. Thanx and once again sorry for the wait! Enjoy!

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Chapter 24

Hazel

Hazel's eyes blinked open to find deep sea green eyes filled with concern looking at hers. They looked at her for another moment and then looked away. In the next second Percy called, "Reyna she's up!" He looked back at Hazel and asked, " Are you okay?"

"Yeah," Hazel croaked. Lord her throat was dry. How long had she been out? She was about to ask when Reyna walked over with a spoonful of nectar.

"Drink your medicine little baby ," Reyna teased then added in a more precise tone," You've been out for almost an hour, me and loverboy had to take turns carrying you until we got out of that swamp. Loverboy of course didn't get a drop on him."

"I offered to keep you dry too," Percy said indignantly. He took the spoon from Reyna and put it in Hazel's mouth. "Miss War Hero over there has too much pride apparently to get help from anyone even if its not only to her benefit."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Reyna demanded.

"If you get pneumonia and she faints again I can't carry the both of you," Percy said, "What would you expect me to do? Make a boat and call some water? Then I'd be just as weak if the other nights episode was anything to go by."

"I won't get sick," Reyna insisted.

Hazel swallowed. "She's never been sick as long as I've known her." The fact was no one got sick ever at The Academy. It just didn't happen. Now was the first time Hazel ever wondered why. Struggling she got up. She didn't like questioning the place she had come to call home. "Let's go," she announced pushing herself off from the cool, hard floor. For the first time she saw her surroundings. They were in a wooden room of Greek design with pictures everywhere. Some seemed to be of the gods, others of nymphs, and some just of beautiful landscapes. In the middle of it al was a statue of the greek version of Jupiter, the all-mighty Zeus. Hazel shuddered just looking at him. He seemed stern and yet a bit lax at the same time. Either way she could see a dangerous glint of anger in his eyes, even in the stone copy.

"But you just got up!" Percy exclaimed.

"Yes and like my Roman ancestors I must push forward," Hazel stated. The familiar phrase felt foreign on her tongue as it always did but she went with it. That was one of the better slogans the camp had. A feeling of unease was growing. They needed to get out of there or something bad was going to happen. She knew it deep in her gut. "We need to go now." Looking back at the statue she could see a golden aura growing around it. That aura meant a god was coming. Closing her eyes Hazel sensed it wasn't Zeus it was someone else. Someone almost but not as powerful. Hazel moved to run but the force stopped her and started pulling her toward it.

She knew who it was. Their last meeting hadn't been a pleasant experience. Hazel had a feeling this wouldn't be any better. For a few more minutes she fought the power but then decided it was hopeless. The moment that she gave in to the power, the pull, she ended up on a god's lap. A god who didn't trust her. A god who once loved her, but now, Hazel didn't know. A god who ad given her life. A god named Apollo.

"Hi honey," he greeted as she plopped into his lap, "I haven''t seen you in a while kiddo. Now you're all grown up and going on quests, where has the time gone."

Hazel took a deep breath while looking around the chamber. Percy looked bewildered and a little scared. Reyna was sharpening her sword trying to ignore the weirdness. Getting ahold of the wild wave of shock, fear, and uncertainty that had filled her from the moment her father entered the room, she tried to figure out why she wasn't enthused by his presence. She felt deep down in her emotions and realized that she was angry. Angry at him for liking her half sister over her. Angry at him for not realizing the goody two shoes thing was a facade covering the other Katie. Hazel had dug deep and found a coal of hate which she immediately smothered.

"Hi dad," she replied only a beat off looking up into his sky blue eyes. His curly blond hair had been replaced with a fohawk. "What's with the hair? Better yet what are you doing under ground? Last I checked the sun was up in the sky, is something wrong?"

"Ahhh," her father responded stroking his hair, something that would have ruined the strenuously gelled pyramid of hair on anyone else but didn't do a thing to his, he then stated, "I figured I'd make a tribute to my rock worshipers. You know that game Guitar God . . ."

"Guitar Hero," Percy interjected.

"Why hello Mr. Jackson it is lovely to see you again," Hazel's dad greeted in a voice full of sarcasm, "I would change into my haiku composing counterpart for you, but I need to talk to my daughter as one Roman to another at the moment so if you will excuse us." Apollo made a classic Bella Lugosi gesture minus cape and in the next moment they were in a different chamber. This was bright and filled with sunshine. Apollo tossed Hazel onto a cushioned couch. Yellow walls that curved gracefully to make a dome with a small hole on top surrounded her along with several pictures, shelves, and instruments. A bow and quiver of arrows leaned against one of the walls. Turning her attention back to her father, Hazel saw he was pacing over a white Tiger skin rug.

"Please tell me that isn't real," she asked pointing at the rug. Hazel loved animals and never killed. Of all things, that got her in the most trouble at camp. She was called weak for it, but it was only now she realized she was strong for not giving in. Why was she thinking all this? It was as though someone was injecting thoughts into her head.

"Of course not," Apollo replied to her inquiry. He then added, "Sometimes your so much like my twin sister. She loves animals too." He said it like it was a bad thing. In his meat loving eyes it probably was. Hazel would've taken up vegetarianism a long time ago if there hadn't been a strict meat eating rule at camp.

"Good," Hazel informed him, "White tigers are an endangered species you know."

"I could regrow them, but that is not what I want to discuss with you," Apollo said determined not to go off track. He sighed while practically falling into a soft white seat that Hazel thought was a cloud. Rubbing his temples Apollo inquired, "Do you know what you're getting yourself into?"

"What do you mean do I know?" Hazel angrily replied back, " Of course I do! Its a quest! Trials and torments and a bunch of other stuff! Do you think I can't take care of myself?" Looking at her father she saw a look of fear and disappointment, both familiar looks to her, but there was something else, something she couldn't recognize. She jumped up and started yelling at him, "You don't do you? You think Katie would have been better or for that fact anyone would've been a better daughter, a better warrior! Well I'm sorry Dad but I'm sick of being the least appreciated, the bottom of the barrel yet the one who does all the work! All the work the NO ONE NOTICES!" Hazel's voice cracked. "I'm sick of being beaten, punished for some unknown crime by MY OWN RELATIVES! Even from beyond the grave. I'm sick of order and discipline and just want out. I am sick of being YOUR DAUGHTER!" Hazel picked up a vase and threw it at the wall. Holding back tears she looked at her father. What had she just said? She didn't mean half of those things yet . . .

She opened her mouth to apologize but Apollo raised his hand signaling her to stop. After watching her for a moment he stated carefully as though she were a mine he didn't want to blow, " That answered all my questions. You have no clue what's going on yet you are one of two pivots on which all turns." Hazel stared at him bewildered. What was he talking about? Still, the god plowed on, " As you have probably sensed, someone is trying to take control of you. He is a spirit that is weak. I need you to fight him. You have proven you are strong in these past months you need to prove yourself even stronger in the next year. Otherwise we are all doomed. That is all I can tell you at the moment and I'm sorry that the information is vague. I love you and don't want to see you hurt." He lifted her chin then hugged her. "You will make me proud I know it. If the muses come listen you'll find your way." Then it all came crashing down and Hazel cried into her father's shoulder. It was the most at home she had ever felt.


End file.
